tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72015684603272899872024-03-05T03:35:33.024-08:00Gary the Unstoppable Fell MachineAn overly optimistic title for what is essentially the (mis)fortunes of a below average fell-runner.GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-60730080684553687612015-04-14T14:04:00.000-07:002015-04-14T14:04:19.576-07:00The Man Who Fell to Earth...With a Bump<div style="text-align: justify;">
It had to happen. There I was, far too pleased with myself for <a href="http://garyufm.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/return-of-knack.html" target="_blank">having survived my 50k</a>, chuffed with my improving times on the road. It was about time someone, or something put me back in my place.</div>
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That thing, was Pendle Hill. I forgot how tough this thing is. Fell running is bloody hard!</div>
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Go back a couple of years, and I was knocking out a 3,000ft hill session every Sunday like it weren't no thang. Today, just over 2,000ft, over 7.7mi and I'm absolutely buggered! True, it might not have been sensible doing today after a very heavy leg session in the gym yesterday (walking tomorrow and Thursday will be, er, interesting...)</div>
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It was the climbs that did me in. Not surprising, nature of the beast and all, but I mean that it wasn't my lungs giving in. It was more like my calves initially, and I had to keep stopping to let the tension ease off. Later on, as I was running off Ogden Clough, I could just feel the energy leave my legs and moving them was a constant battle. I even felt a bit of a bonk come in towards the end of the run. Luckily I </div>
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I started in Barley and was aiming to follow the Pendle Cloughs route from CP4 to CP8. In the end, after bludgeoning my way up from CP5, taking a direct line through the heather, I decided that I could see CP6 from where I crossed the wall on the path up from Deerstones - which was enough for me, so turned right to Ogden Clough. I also decided that it was sufficient to glance up to my right as I crossed Boar Clough to where CP7 would be, and I know where CP8 is, so buggered off home. I suppose that's the good thing with these runs: even when you want to give up, you've still got to run 3 miles back to the car, with a bloody big hill (or two) in between.</div>
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Now I'm sat feeling the creaks and aches seep into my knees and ankles, and rediscovering bits of my feet I'd long forgotten about: all the tendons and ligaments feeling very tender.</div>
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But I loved it. I saw only 2 people while I was out, the sun was shining, the evening air was cooling... I'd also forgotten how much I enjoyed this. </div>
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And from here on in, I can only get better. Every turned ankle tonight means my ligaments will be stronger next time; every misplaced footstep means quicker thinking in future; every wrong line means better judgement. And of course, my hill fitness will improve.</div>
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But for today at least, it's Hills 1, Gary 0.</div>
GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-68736260808767711452015-03-26T13:43:00.000-07:002015-03-26T13:43:11.933-07:00Return of the Knack?<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/919002401" target="_blank">Canalathon 50km</a></div>
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So, long time no blog. Partly because of work, but also because there has been nothing of note in terms of running adventures. Following my last attempt at an ultra (<a href="http://garyufm.blogspot.co.uk/2012_06_01_archive.html" target="_blank">2012 Ultra Race 100</a>...2012?!), when my ITB struck me down…again, I spent a great deal of time trying to redress my biomechanical problems: neuro-muscular firing patterns, strength & flexibility, etc. When I decided to put ultras on the shelf for a while, whilst I got my body together, I thought I would try to get some good shorter distance times benchmarked whilst I was still relatively in my prime (e.g. a decent marathon time, having never done a conventional road marathon).</div>
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Along the way, I picked up a couple of other injuries which knocked me back – a stress fracture in my shin, a calf pull, mainly due to my impatience in regaining fitness – and more importantly, pace – post the previous injury and trying to come back too fast too soon. For instance, in 2013 I entered the 2014 Yorkshire Marathon, but had to withdraw about 8 weeks prior. I have learned the hard way that although I still feel (and act) 18, my body is not. I am still on the comeback trail from my last injury, but I am now taking things slow and steady.</div>
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Which brings me to the <a href="http://cannonballevents.co.uk/canalathon/" target="_blank">Canalathon</a>. I booked into this in 2014, thinking 50km would be a nice distance to start off with: not too far, but still a test given my most recent ultra experiences. Though I had got further previously (40-50miles) my ITB had kicked in long before that and I suffered my way round, and then had to have a long lay-off as I recovered.</div>
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The run itself traces the route of the Rochdale Canal from Manchester to Sowerby Bridge. There are longer options: 75km, which does an additional 15mi loop to Brighouse Locks and back; & 100km, which starts in Sowerby Bridge and reverses the 50km route to Manchester before retracing its steps back to Sowerby Bridge. But with my new sensible head on, I thought I would start off easy and test my progress.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">So far, so good. Post-Christmas I was beginning to see my pace and fitness approach what I consider to be normal (though even now, it’s still off), with a plan to ramp up my training in March for this event. My carefully thought out plan was undermined by the fact I thought the race was in May sometime. It was only in February, when trying to make arrangements for a family do in May, and checking if it clashed with this race, that I realised Canalathon was actually scheduled for March. I knew my fitness was not going to be where it needed to be, but thought I’d have a go anyway.</span><br />
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So on Saturday the 21<sup>st</sup> March, after a long, heavy night’s drinking a couple of nights before (not the best preparation), me and the Better Half pitched up in the car park of a Manchester retail park for the start of the race. But no-one was there. After a quick text to the RO, and checking the details on-line again, we established I had got the timings wrong…again, and was a day early.</div>
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So on Sunday the 22<sup>nd</sup> March, after making a t*t of myself the day before (not the best preparation), me and the Better Half pitched up in the car park of a Manchester retail park for the start of the race. Today, lots of people were there. All struggling with safety pins, sorting kit out, pacing nervously…I missed this!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhix_-0tcWoPknimoT0F2RLhmP4fpn1VSKZ7cXdE9iF9XYEDD72FSwmtp1DzQRF2B7plAut38o5VNZUuvevdhAvGbjnaF92v-mq2zUMS0hnvkjj7b5RP6iCqvVgLrLZQCjEWOyHQsJseQeu/s1600/Canalathon+Start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhix_-0tcWoPknimoT0F2RLhmP4fpn1VSKZ7cXdE9iF9XYEDD72FSwmtp1DzQRF2B7plAut38o5VNZUuvevdhAvGbjnaF92v-mq2zUMS0hnvkjj7b5RP6iCqvVgLrLZQCjEWOyHQsJseQeu/s1600/Canalathon+Start.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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My ultra plan is generally to average 10min/mi. I had originally wanted to try and run this a bit faster given it was relatively short, but given it had snuck up on me a couple of months early I thought I’d just try my 10min/mi and see what state I finished up in. To the first CP (at 11-12mi) I’d settled in to a gentle 9-9:30min/mi running with another runner and chatting easily as we went along. It was quicker than I intended but it felt comfortable enough. At the CP he ran off, but I wanted to reintroduce some discipline and return to plan A, so I made sure to take on some food, stripped off a bit (it was a lovely warm sunny day), rearranged my bag, and set off a bit closer to my 10min/mi target pace.</div>
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After this point I started suffering with the heat a bit and realised I hadn’t been drinking enough, so there were plenty of times between CP1 & 2 where I slowed to a fast walk as I felt myself beginning to overheat & tire. As well as lack of water, this was definitely where my lack of training was beginning to make itself felt. I surprised myself when I resisted the temptation to pop into The Stubbin Wharf, a pub on the canal in Hebden Bridge about 6mi from the end, because I swore I would over the few miles before it, having justified it to myself as a virtual medical emergency. Luckily there was another feed station about a mile along from it where I was able to take on some more fluids (mainly Coke) before the final push.</div>
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In between my walking phases to cool down I was running at a decent pace so I didn’t lose too much by way of average pace over the distance. For the last few miles I was pacing using my iPod: running for 2 songs, walking for 1. In the end I finished quite strongly, and was pleased with my time (5:33 - 10:44min/mi & 43<sup>rd</sup> out of 97). I wasn’t too far off my target at the start, and feel that had I got it right and had a couple of extra months to train for it, I would have been able to do sub-5hrs quite easily, which is the benchmark I had in mind at the time I booked it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly there...</td></tr>
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But my overall aim was to survive uninjured. How did that go? Well, I had no jip from my ITB, nor any of the other hot-spots I’d injured in the last couple of years. Bearing in mind I was hobbling for 40+mi of the Ultra Race 100 last time I tried it from about 7-8mi in, this was a massive improvement. Incidentally, I’ve been experimenting with minimal shoes (NB Minimus) to try and get my muscles working harder and – in conjunction with my other gym work – correctly when I run. For this I knew I’d need more cushioning so was looking at things like the Hoka One Ones. I had my gait analysed at Sweatshop which showed me as having a neutral stride. Previously, I was always an over-pronator. I don’t know if this represents a ‘fix’, but it’s got to be reflective of some sort of progress? I ended up with NB 980s</div>
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Anyway, the only problems I had after the race were a touch of heat stroke (developing a bit of a fever that night) and tender ankles, reminiscent of when I go back to the fells after a break – quite a bit of the canal path was cobbles, or hard-packed trail. I’ve done hardly any fell-running in the last couple of years (which makes a mockery of my moniker!), and I intend to remedy this as I get fitter.</div>
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All in all then, I am viewing this as a success. And I’ve noticed an interesting thing happening… over the last couple of years, as I see ultra event and competitor posts pop up in my Facebook and Twitter timelines, I have sadly passed them over, thinking ‘it’s not for the likes of me’. Yesterday I added the Dragon’s Back website to my favourites after I saw a post on my Facebook, and this morning I saw someone post about the Spine Race and my thought was once again, ‘ooh, that looks like fun…’.</div>
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The difference this time is rather than add them to my to-do list within the next 1, 2, or 3 yrs, I am thinking more in terms of 5-10 years. Next year I intend going no further than 75km. Well, maybe 100km…</div>
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With age comes wisdom. Sort of.</div>
GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-14523760374889252332012-06-26T12:17:00.000-07:002012-06-26T12:17:10.729-07:00This Sh*t Just Got Real<div style="text-align: justify;">
Or, 'Just the Wake Up Call I Needed'. </div>
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<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/192736416">Garmin details</a>* </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've been here before</td></tr>
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This weekend saw my second attempt at the Ultra Race 100, the 100 mile road race from Stratford, looping through the Cotswolds. Last year's event ended in disappointment, for me at least. (See my write up <a href="http://garyufm.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/ultra-race-100-unfinished-business.html">here</a>.) My more recent attempt went the same way (another DNF due to ITB) and - in conjunction with my training and preparation for this event -has resulted in a lot of hard-learned lessons and left me reflecting on my life as a runner. Sounds a bit melodramatic that, but if I don't change the way I do things but expect my ITB problems to disappear, then according to Einstein, that would be utter madness. And who am I to argue with him?</div>
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Now, when you complete an event like this, the phrase ‘never again’ gets bandied about a bit, but then after a while, the pain and the low moments are forgotten, and all you can remember was the feeling after you crossed the line. When you don’t finish one of these events because you were in pain you tend to think along the same lines, only it now works against you. At the time I knew I was doing the right thing: I couldn’t bend either knee on the ups or the downs, and there was 50mi of ups and downs yet to go. But thinking back now, I’m asking myself if it really was as painful as that; and whether I couldn’t have got back on the road, at least for one more CP and seen where it went from there…?</div>
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The mind is a funny thing.</div>
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Anyway, before getting into all that, I thought I’d start with some more positive reflection on this weekend's run. </div>
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<b><u>The Good </u></b></div>
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<b>Nutrition</b> </div>
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Seemed to work fine. I was having a 750ml carb/electrolyte drink every 10mi, having a quarter every 2.5mi. The first 3 10mi stages I used SIS PSP22, switching to Maximuscle Viper Active later on, hoping the caffeine & guarana would keep me going through the night. In addition, I had made a batch of smoothie (a mix of oats, protein, fruit & veg - I may post the recipe on here separately) of which I was drinking a quarter of a bottle at CPs 1, 2, 3 & 4. Essentially, each 500ml bottle is c750kcal of low GI carbs, protein and fats.
I was dipping into a zip-lock bag of mixed nuts, fruits & seeds as I left each CP; a handful or two at a time. Also had a slice of gala pie at CP2 (was getting hungry as opposed to any blood-sugar problems), with the odd bit of (home-made) flapjack & malt loaf for good measure. </div>
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The plan was to continue this pattern through the second half of the race having stashed more of the same in my drop bag at CP5, with a bit of a splurge when I got there: a whole bottle of smoothie, another bit of gala pie, more flapjack, a 150g stick of salami... </div>
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My hip flask (filled with Jura whisky) was intended to be sipped at each of the CPs from CP5 onwards, just to keep my pecker up. As it was, when I finally collapsed on the floor at CP5 I had a good glug! On the way back to my accommodation that night once my Better Half had picked me up, I stopped at a roadside burger van for a greasy quarterpounder cheeseburger. Filled a hole. </div>
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I awoke the next morning with my stomach screaming out for food, so I took my unused drop-bag downstairs to the lounge and just started scoffing, and didn’t really stop all day. </div>
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But, during the race at least, at no point did I feel lacking in strength, or get that dreaded 'bonking' feeling.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Energy</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was going to say more generally fitness, but given that my body let me down due to some inherent weakness, I clearly wasn't fit enough. However, at the end of my race, sat in the van, waiting for my Better Half to come pick me up, I didn't feel tired at all, and if it wasn't for my knees I feel I could have kept on for some while after. I had plenty left to give, I just didn't have a body to take me there. I've no doubt, that had I carried on, I would have faced a deficit of energy at some point, but certainly at 50mi I felt I could have carried on for another 20-30mi no problem. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Adaptability & Sensible Decisions</b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAicD8ejQI5NCuaoKlkZYuQRUvtCtTvDxuOblHXTiStgzhNZ-h2BF72fKNBSPtGLBzgDWUfanowAjj06-HlQoasUNQNd3CtlODmIJBxiV-4r_Mwxp3hSZW7NFXAKFgzGtGV0kVBRYAKQ6C/s1600/Setting+Out2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAicD8ejQI5NCuaoKlkZYuQRUvtCtTvDxuOblHXTiStgzhNZ-h2BF72fKNBSPtGLBzgDWUfanowAjj06-HlQoasUNQNd3CtlODmIJBxiV-4r_Mwxp3hSZW7NFXAKFgzGtGV0kVBRYAKQ6C/s200/Setting+Out2.JPG" width="173" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is easy (mile 1)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Reading reports of successful and less successful attempts at these sorts of events, one of the key differences between the two is how willing a person is to adapt to the circumstances on the day. My plan, initially was to run/walk 5min/1min until I could run no more, & ‘speedmarch’ the hills (40 strides running/40 strides walking). Once I was reduced to a walk to switch to more comfortable shoes than my inov8 f-Lites (adidas Kanadia – a trail shoe, but the only other running shoe I have with any cushioning, all the others being fell shoes). My target before giving up on the run/walk was 50mi, by which point I thought it would be dark; walk through the night, by which point I would expect 20-30mi remaining; then grind out those last few miles. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As it happened, I quickly switched to 4min run/1min walk as I felt there was still plenty of time to play with, and decided to walk all the up hills. When my ITB kicked in with an innocuous niggle as I came in to CP1, I did briefly toy with the idea of persevering for as long as I could. I realise now this would have probably seen me retire at CP2 rather than halfway round. Instead, I switched to my comfy shoes, and resolved to walk the rest of the way, sticking to sub-15min/mi pace. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This was the key decision behind me getting to the 50mi mark in under 12 hours. Otherwise I would have been out earlier, and in much worse shape. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Mood</b> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Despite having to abandon my initial strategy and being in some degree of pain throughout most of my race, not to mention a prolonged period of very heavy rain and spending most of the race on my own, I had a blast! I was able to keep my mind from wandering to the dark-side: singing along to tunes; calculating how many songs to next CP or 2.5mi sip of electrolyte, based on current pace and average length of song; working out likely finish time based on time taken so far and likely pace over each of the next checkpoints. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSslTXqtxD2wLdBu_XT-BTHMYdPOEQKokOsJMNz2chF2w9a1J0JHaVjprkvwCIJi4FV7IBmO1bKtH6JJt3Ks5MhWJIZamm4yQ6kNbI54p2kbbm-AYqQ7QI-xzDdUTbLNsUtCFVBxM3R2X/s1600/Moving+Now2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSslTXqtxD2wLdBu_XT-BTHMYdPOEQKokOsJMNz2chF2w9a1J0JHaVjprkvwCIJi4FV7IBmO1bKtH6JJt3Ks5MhWJIZamm4yQ6kNbI54p2kbbm-AYqQ7QI-xzDdUTbLNsUtCFVBxM3R2X/s200/Moving+Now2.JPG" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are those...moobs?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The Bad</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Obviously being struck down by ITB so early on that it meant I couldn’t finish. Last year was the first time I had ITB in my left knee, and until an aborted attempt to run home from Leeds along the Leeds Liverpool Canal all my concern – and indeed, my entire ITB history – was with my right knee which had been niggly since upping the mileage in March.
I was about quarter of a mile out from the first CP (at just under 10mi) when I felt it go again. And this was pretty much the last I would run again. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The Ugly</b> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The only thing that really qualifies as ‘ugly’ was my wandering round Stratford the next day. Because of my severe groinal chafage, I decided to Vaseline up before getting dressed to make getting about a bit less painful. My family took great delight in observing half-way round, that it looked like I had a leaky arse as the Vaseline had gone through my undies and light coloured trousers. Not a pretty sight, but I’m relieved to say that no photo exists (that I know of). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u><b>Onwards and, er, downwards?</b></u> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, what are we to deduce from all this? I’ve recently taken to characterising my problem as having a perfectly workable engine attached to a crumbling chassis. Unless I start to do something about the chassis, all the cardio-vascular fitness in the world isn’t going to get me to the point where I can run more than 50mi without injury. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Whilst I have been focusing more on lower body strength at the gym over the last few months in an effort to complement my running - deadlifts, barbell squats, explosive box jumps, rowing, etc. – recent work with my new physio has uncovered that these have been falling wide of the mark. Fundamentally, my glutes don’t tend to fire in sequence, so other muscles are taking the strain. Therefore, even doing these exercises that ostensibly work the glutes, aren’t having the desired effect.
I’ve got to go back to basics and do some smaller, more concentrated moves to get my glutes firing in the right sequence before progressing to these bigger, compound moves. I’ve been prescribed these concentrated moves before, but they bored me and I thought if I went bigger it would be more interesting (it is) but would still work the required area (it hasn’t, for the reasons above). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVSCASDibKSCDNIXJaWAx77qmcKpa-uvM0JSTZuFOU0XxhGRxMd890hsG9uc85dSatfbnRG22x4YdJp78dQTgpezldB7zDBqVy7elCW8zR00UVEFuco3yRU9-uBhrkfrM5eis6x5dFBEy/s1600/CP1.2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVSCASDibKSCDNIXJaWAx77qmcKpa-uvM0JSTZuFOU0XxhGRxMd890hsG9uc85dSatfbnRG22x4YdJp78dQTgpezldB7zDBqVy7elCW8zR00UVEFuco3yRU9-uBhrkfrM5eis6x5dFBEy/s320/CP1.2.JPG" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On camera: the last running I did coming into CP1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Finally, I think I need to address my approach to footwear, running style, etc. I moved to minimalist shoes and a more natural running style, all self-taught (what could possibly go wrong, right?): running on the mid- to forefoot, footfall directly under my body, shorter strides/higher cadence. I thought this would address things, but it hasn’t. My feet still have a tendency to over-pronate, causing my knee to track in.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am quite hippy (in that I have wide hips, not that I hug trees) and have been reading recently about the Q-angle – the angle between the hip joint and the knee. The greater this angle (i.e. the wider the hips) the more likely you are, apparently, to suffer with these kind of injuries. Given my wide hips, and that my footfall does tend to be directly under the centre-line of my body, maybe this is adding to the problem? A wider stance/running gait may be beneficial, looking to keep my footfall closer to the line of my hip joint?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In short there’s plenty of work to be done: things I know and can be doing straight away; other things that require more research and possibly further professional help.
My intention now, is rather than persevere with my ultra goals, I am going to put them on hold for a good 12 months or so while I work on these basics. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I nail the basics, I will then probably look to build myself up slower to the big distances setting smaller progressive goals – 50k => 50mi => 100k => 100mi+ - giving my body more time to adapt. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Not a total loss then, I am still pleased with my results from this race. More than that though, it has probably been the kick up the arse I needed to take this stuff more seriously and give it the respect it deserves.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVB5TJXGBPQQ3hicYIPL-IvWxZTqEOgUPFF_jnT_NYROXArrFBM9com4a63aUPuYCA_XmCdpo0cD5SnWcUF-LJjAA3DoRiO5INlP5U7GvfEGAuP5KrBmlXJ79ekNcjaGv8m8BtgdScLRgi/s1600/ITB+Rolling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVB5TJXGBPQQ3hicYIPL-IvWxZTqEOgUPFF_jnT_NYROXArrFBM9com4a63aUPuYCA_XmCdpo0cD5SnWcUF-LJjAA3DoRiO5INlP5U7GvfEGAuP5KrBmlXJ79ekNcjaGv8m8BtgdScLRgi/s320/ITB+Rolling.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ITB rolling at CP1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*You'll note my time here is 12h20, but i forgot to stop my Garmin at my last CP. <a href="http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/events/downloads/results/2012-ur100-results.xls" target="_blank">The results</a> show I took 12h49 to get there.</span> </div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-60352321932231969742012-01-03T13:37:00.000-08:002012-01-03T13:37:39.490-08:00Eat My Goals: 2012We've been here before, but what the heck, let's give this another go, shall we?<br />
<br />
In no particular order...<br />
<br />
Running:<br />
<br />
- Spartathlon qualification<br />
- Bob Graham Round<br />
- Ultra Race 100 (sort out my unfinished business!)<br />
- Lyke Wake<br />
- Injury free!<br />
<br />
Fitness:<br />
<br />
- Sub 7-min 2k row<br />
- 30 Pull ups (not going to say 50, let's get to 30 and take it from there)<br />
- Bodyweight bench press (5 sets of 5)<br />
- 1.5 x bodyweight deadlift (5 sets of 5)<br />
<br />
Other:<br />
<br />
- Write a book - not aiming for a literary masterpiece, but there is something in particular I reckon I could do some damage with. It's in the early stages. In any case, will be under a pseudonym.<br />
<br />
All in all, sounds like a bit of a wish list, and it may be that going for one or more of them will mean I don't get round to some of the others. Not really thought through that far.<br />
<br />
No doubt it'll get whittled down over the coming 12 months as time/money/body gets its say.<br />
<br />
Whaddya reckon? Doable? And what do you have on your list for 2012?GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-51399067848511312482011-07-13T04:14:00.000-07:002011-07-15T04:21:36.912-07:00Ultra Race 100: Unfinished Business<div style="text-align: justify;">Or how I registered my first ever DNF. <br />
<br />
Well, where do I begin?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It turns out that between my last post and the start of this race, I was essentially out of action. No more than the odd couple of miles here and there for 7 weeks. You could look at this in one of two ways: I was either starting this race very well refreshed, or grossly under-prepared. It turns out it was the latter!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The day before I'd travelled down to stop at a farmhouse in the grounds of my company's head office, which just happens to be in Stratford, where this race started and finished. That night, me and the missus went into town for some pre-race stodge (fish & chips) before coming back to the room and getting all my kit sorted into 4 categories: wear, carry, drop-bag, pre-race. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Next morning I got my 'wear' stuff on - including Compressport calf sleeves to manage my existing injury (which wouldn't give me any grief throught the event), packed my 'carry' stuff, and started eating my 'pre-race' stuff. The 'drop bag' would be given to the ROs who would take it to CP5 (52mi). Morning food consisted off porridge, wholemeal toast with honey, a sweet tea, two packets of biscuit browns (to stave off calls of nature), and a Powerade. It wasn't all scoffed at once as the race started at midday. This just gave a good opportunity to fuel up beforehand, hopefully avoiding any mid-run bonking I've experienced in the past on long runs. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We got to Stratford Race Course to register and started to mingle with other nervous runners. As ever at these things, everyone seemed very nice, and there was a lot of anxious chatter about training, food, race strategies, etc.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQND_w6IfTfr9_JP9Y1bGHe-qYuurWmucPokLj3t1bHCm4n1C8z65Rzb5bsQHHi94moXfY6b6TvMRkdBnPoRxi2BcwxYgQ6zemCm1M7sLOYJPwVCwLxQ2OJKzsSY_G7BMr47FDnmV_S309/s1600/This+Goes+Here.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQND_w6IfTfr9_JP9Y1bGHe-qYuurWmucPokLj3t1bHCm4n1C8z65Rzb5bsQHHi94moXfY6b6TvMRkdBnPoRxi2BcwxYgQ6zemCm1M7sLOYJPwVCwLxQ2OJKzsSY_G7BMr47FDnmV_S309/s200/This+Goes+Here.JPG" width="150px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This goes here...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHp-nrNf5zX_8fcQBpxIgXXMU_tt_VGsL-pfW6TmdcTakZunoI4rrex0B6P8599WVtOhFOeDA0NNboDltRe5TDw9RTG0OfX_oWgZJfCUOSwag3hSRs2MTkpt5pwVstOe9opEm_l2hQQoEA/s1600/What+Have+I+Done.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHp-nrNf5zX_8fcQBpxIgXXMU_tt_VGsL-pfW6TmdcTakZunoI4rrex0B6P8599WVtOhFOeDA0NNboDltRe5TDw9RTG0OfX_oWgZJfCUOSwag3hSRs2MTkpt5pwVstOe9opEm_l2hQQoEA/s200/What+Have+I+Done.JPG" width="200px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What?! How far?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPp8j58MVByka3tTqDpyAHdN_HOY3L4KPZOLGCP61F3rVm2gJMBVSMPUiUqJacgzg3TJjP07r9PZ8CmFyoN_ffyc1b6PQ971MYbFQcPaimI7-OaBAfly7WJ23POQHnBjB4Dsu_Qw6-YwR_/s1600/Chilling+at+the+Start.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPp8j58MVByka3tTqDpyAHdN_HOY3L4KPZOLGCP61F3rVm2gJMBVSMPUiUqJacgzg3TJjP07r9PZ8CmFyoN_ffyc1b6PQ971MYbFQcPaimI7-OaBAfly7WJ23POQHnBjB4Dsu_Qw6-YwR_/s200/Chilling+at+the+Start.JPG" width="200px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing it cool</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After some last minute checks, the RO briefings and last minute goodbyes, it was time to line up. As midday came round, the horn went off and so did we; round and across the racecourse and on to a cyclepath, before we finally settled onto the country roads and lanes that would take us away from Stratford. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcq3Xo5fScPuho_TclOtCrugMIyNKIUBPlKUdN3Z11xy0hc0hY3z_vCLPsrmm7r6qiKOBGwGmUo6rl2tqq9ADy-XxKXh_L6esY6kRD8vVRusVy8q6k8djL7YevwoxhnEPCG4DesMj-TrGk/s1600/Start+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcq3Xo5fScPuho_TclOtCrugMIyNKIUBPlKUdN3Z11xy0hc0hY3z_vCLPsrmm7r6qiKOBGwGmUo6rl2tqq9ADy-XxKXh_L6esY6kRD8vVRusVy8q6k8djL7YevwoxhnEPCG4DesMj-TrGk/s200/Start+3.JPG" width="200px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What are we waiting for?</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzhBtHYE941NZiOMh3CimxO9SQgxQ0Zxp6XJuULsc8xiPecacHbWuzzAOxm0gpsLOs_wvvTM69H_b9Vz6GZkORbgp6m-9ceC9Xe72a7d2My8LBjX7Ne15LsDYp8Z8G9UChhVKzF_Bgjji/s1600/And+they're+off.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzhBtHYE941NZiOMh3CimxO9SQgxQ0Zxp6XJuULsc8xiPecacHbWuzzAOxm0gpsLOs_wvvTM69H_b9Vz6GZkORbgp6m-9ceC9Xe72a7d2My8LBjX7Ne15LsDYp8Z8G9UChhVKzF_Bgjji/s200/And+they%2527re+off.JPG" width="200px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And they're off!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My plan was to use my Garmin to keep me at or around 10min/mi for as long as I could maintain that pace, and to hang on for as long as I could with any kind of forward movement once I couldn't. On the whole, I managed to stick to this. <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/player/95269925">My mile breakdowns and Garmin details are here</a>. The only wild deviations from my ideal pace were miles 12, 22, 32 (checkpoints); 28, 33 (loo breaks - more of that later, but not too much more!!). After mile 39 my pace started to deteriorate as the wheels inevitably fell off, but all in good time...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the first CP I replenished my PSP22 (planned to go through one of these every stage), had a quarter of a porridge/banana/soy milk/protein powder smoothie (planned to have a quarter at each stage until a full one at halfway and picking up another bottle for the second half of the race). I then left the CP at a walk as I knocked back half a buttered malt loaf (planned to alternate this with 3 pork pies at each checkpoint). As I broke into a trot again I was pleased with my CP routine and my discipline in sticking to my pace meant I was feeling great. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After that though, things one-by-one gradually started to go wrong. After 13/14mi my stomach started feeling a bit dodgy. This was in spite (because?) of the biscuit browns I ate, and may have been down to the quantity of food I was eating. I managed to keep this at bay until mile 28 (phantom loo break) and mile 33 (real loo break). After this, I felt better but still not 100%, and by this point I'd already abandoned my eating plan, missing out my second malt loaf half at CP3.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I left CP2 (mile 22) - where I also rolled out my right-ITB with my portable roller (beer bottle) as a preventative measure - the bone in the outside of my right foot became very sore as it made contact with the ground and got worse as the race progressed. This has continued to cause me problems long after the race and I suspect it is a bruised bone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At around the 32mi mark (CP3) the warm humid air had given way to rain, and more bits started breaking: this time my left-ITB (never had a problem with before, it's always been the right one) and the inside of my groin, also on the left; both possibly as a result of trying to take pressure off my right foot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was still able to plod on though, until the final nail in the coffin: getting lost. At 35mi I had fallen into a bit of a rhythm with two other runners, and we stuck together for a few miles. After mile 40 or so, we realised we had not seen a route sticker for some time, and began to question ourselves. With the RO's words from the briefing ringing in our ears ("if in doubt, straight on"), we continued. At mile 42, we should have come across CP4, but we didn't. At this point we sat down and got my phone out for a bit of Google Map-age. After a call to the RO (who found our predicament very funny - another snippet from the RO briefing came to mind: "you'd have to be an idiot to get lost on the course") we established we were well off route. However, with RO's consent, if we could make it to CP5 by whichever route, we were back in the race.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, here is where I look a bit foolish as what happens next is pure schoolboy navigation error. To get to where we needed to be, we needed to head East along the A40. One of us recced ahead from where we were sat and had found the A40. Knowing our route was generally South, and none of us recalling crossing the A40 previously, we quickly decided to turn left once we hit the A40. However, it turned out we had unknowingly crossed the A40 before, turned North and therefore were approaching the road from the South; meaning our left turn 'East' was actually taking us West. Our mantra should have been (as it is on the fells) 'if in doubt, compass out'.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before we realised any of that though, I had already made the call to quit. After having been sat for 20 minutes or so as we sorted all this out my body went into recovery mode. Basically, as we started off again my knees and groin had siezed up, my foot was unbearable on impact and to add more injury to injury, my ankle ligaments were very sore as well. So my plan was to make it to CP5, then retire. Up to this point I had covered 42mi in a respectable if not mind-blowing 8h17.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next 3 miles were a very slow and very painful hobble along a main road in the rain. A far cry from the easy running through lovely Cotswold vilages only a few hours before. We came into a town and on a whim, I thought we'd call in on the petrol station to check we were going in the right direction. They had never heard of where we were heading. They got out a local A-Z and it was at this point we realised we had gone in the completely wrong direction. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My compadres who up to now were planning on carrying on once they got to CP5 also decided to call it a day. So I put a call into the missus to pick us all up and collect our drop bags from CP5 before heading back to the farmhouse. We waited in the chippy next door to the garage and had a nice sausage in batter and chips, all served up by some friendly staff - though they did wonder if we were all sane. All over after 45mi and 9h46.<br />
<br />
The next day me, the missus and my folks (who, rather optimistically, I got up to see me across the finish line) had a lovely day in Stratford in the sun: drinks, good food, and plenty of comedy at my expense as I made a right spectacle of myself, walking like a 90 year old and taking rest stops every 10 yards or so. <br />
<br />
Since then, I've done some investigating and realised the precise moment we went wrong. At 38mi, we all missed a crucial sticker on a signpost directing us to follow the route. I have even found the offending sticker on Google Streetview! (The small yellow on black stickers on the post below - incidentally, we carried on following the road to Cheltenham)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4OAkrHSAbgBsIzh4We3OSTvcYrWzzngz-VeJTZIRg-tFpsneZLL8lyokcrmCcTVTqcUCc_bOden7tr9wHMe_FE_8D4zFK3u8TQRWt2RRqlr7aORZN8S-2fWeoAbbLm4kubfOdMTE95Hm/s1600/Missed+Directions.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4OAkrHSAbgBsIzh4We3OSTvcYrWzzngz-VeJTZIRg-tFpsneZLL8lyokcrmCcTVTqcUCc_bOden7tr9wHMe_FE_8D4zFK3u8TQRWt2RRqlr7aORZN8S-2fWeoAbbLm4kubfOdMTE95Hm/s320/Missed+Directions.bmp" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He went thaddaway *points*</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Overall this was a great event, a lovely route through a lovely part of the world (albeit all on road). It's got a great atmosphere, and I will definitely (maybe? GUCR plans notwithstanding) be back to try again next year - this time with some training under my belt! Ultimately, I think this was too much to ask of my body after 7 weeks no running. Live and learn...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Postscript</u></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was supporting my work's team attempt at walking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks the weekend after the UR100. I went up Pen-y-Ghent with them - evenstretching the legs for a bit of a run off the summit. Being sensible, I then missed out Whernside and met them with tea and cakes with the rest of the support crew at the final road crossing before Ingleborough. I decided I was still feeling okay, so thought I 'd do the home stretch with them as well. Was great going up and managed to drag a few people along with me, but coming down, my foot and left ITB flared up again. It was a long painful slog back. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Complete rest methinks for at least 4 weeks. This throws out plans for a 3-day recce of the entire BGR route I had lined up for 4-6 August. Also makes my plans for a BGR attempt 16-17 Sept very doubtful. Still, I will listen to my body. Planning a busy year next year. I may still be able to do everything I want to if I go sensible with my recovery in the second half of this one.</div><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-40522885817070046032011-05-08T23:02:00.000-07:002011-05-08T23:02:27.143-07:00Of Mice & Men<div style="text-align: justify;">Remember the blister I got from the 7 Trigs in my <a href="http://garyufm.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-that-was-first-big-weekend-of-summer.html">last post</a>? Well, it's had a bit of a far reaching effect...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For the first time ever really, I've been working from a training plan. I figured that the transition to running a 100 mile ultra might need a bit more of a structured approach than I usually take. After consulting various resources (most from the very helpful <a href="http://www.ultramarathonrunning.com/">ultramarathonrunning.com</a>) I put something together that took me from 45 miles to 75 miles per week over 8 weeks - with a rest week thrown in - before a two-week taper to the <a href="http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/events/details/?eventid=100">Ultra Race 100 </a>on the 24th June.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following my blister however, I couldn't get my trainers on over my feet, and so I was already being steered off my training plan by nefarious forces. In order to keep some semblance of mileage up, I got a couple of runs in my flip-flops. Only 4.5mi worth, but enough to keep my hand in.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGvP1O6x3VKKVnGcID2YcVMCAhn4cNfGfhYPs2xmrXBPvxGr1yUIkDbCYFn_j8v0nHkirAiwtSC23gMTYtjgJ5y8FRM1A2RsW8Sojd3SJGviE-Nl_XSy38DWXHhnrG4rvt_8s2PvgHGlM/s1600/IMAG0060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGvP1O6x3VKKVnGcID2YcVMCAhn4cNfGfhYPs2xmrXBPvxGr1yUIkDbCYFn_j8v0nHkirAiwtSC23gMTYtjgJ5y8FRM1A2RsW8Sojd3SJGviE-Nl_XSy38DWXHhnrG4rvt_8s2PvgHGlM/s320/IMAG0060.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suitable Running Attire (i)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following week - the week before last - I can finally get my shoes on over my heels again and I hit the roads once more, putting in a good 60 mile week, with two 20 mile(ish) runs back to back on the weekend. Overall there was nearly 7,000ft of climb, with just short of 3,000ft apiece on each of the weekend runs. (Garmin stats: <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/82427187">Sat Apr 30</a> / <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/82673070">Sun May 1</a>)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I ended each run feeling strong, and with plenty left in the tank. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I was a bit miffed when Monday morning I wake up with a shin-splint-like pain (turned out to be shin-splints, funnily enough) in my left shin, on the posterior side. This means that I am now at the end of a rest week that looks like it will be the first of several.<br />
<br />
But how's this related to the blister? Well, after a bit of consultation (albeit on the distictly non-BMA affiliated FRA Forum) I came to the conclusion that it might be down to the running I did in flip-flops. One of the reasons I only got 4.5mi done in flip-flops was because there was a soreness when running down the front of my legs. Not sharp like shin-splints, just like a build up of lactic acid. I put this down to the fact that when raising and extending the leg, to keep the flip or the flop on your feet you have to extend your toes slightly, which creates a tension down the front of your leg. So I gave this up and thought no more about it. But it appears that by adding a load of miles to the problem a week later, I've crocked myself.<br />
<br />
I've now added to my collection of sophisticated physiotherapy equipment and bought an ice-pack, which I've been using nightly. Now with one week of resting behind me, I'm looking forward to at least another one.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Physiotherapy essentials:</span></i> </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo9JGFRmJopkIhbe-Splsnk705EVX-20EmmdJQ4f_BT15LgYcj-WZlqh9ycU6SqrEvIvLLEh27z3BIgQRk854feLrQrT_5xTq8MBDAxVJhUvSdMNIun9rYl3fQgWsZhL1ITXtwlRUl_Iq/s1600/IMAG0057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo9JGFRmJopkIhbe-Splsnk705EVX-20EmmdJQ4f_BT15LgYcj-WZlqh9ycU6SqrEvIvLLEh27z3BIgQRk854feLrQrT_5xTq8MBDAxVJhUvSdMNIun9rYl3fQgWsZhL1ITXtwlRUl_Iq/s200/IMAG0057.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice Pack</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicu401-VWMUydp1kXGokNo-0ZaMN3EzJRR1Gyr-qqmgGtJqo6XoTiUb6qdxDm0UYefWNO5a7aQ8Sdw21-DUHGRLLonvK010N-4fneNPC_wFZbf6RLuFCvE3eU7VeMDzc9X1yNny81EPZQq/s1600/IMAG0059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicu401-VWMUydp1kXGokNo-0ZaMN3EzJRR1Gyr-qqmgGtJqo6XoTiUb6qdxDm0UYefWNO5a7aQ8Sdw21-DUHGRLLonvK010N-4fneNPC_wFZbf6RLuFCvE3eU7VeMDzc9X1yNny81EPZQq/s200/IMAG0059.jpg" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ITB Roller</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>After that? Who knows. I think the best I can hope for would be to slowly build myself back up to the kind of mileage I was doing last week, whereas I was hoping to use last week as a base to get some even bigger miles under my belt. We shall have to wait and see. Whatever happens, a new training plan is in order.<br />
<br />
P.S. It's not all bad news: I've treated myself to some new road shoes to replace my fading Inov-8 f-Lite 195s: adidas adizero Mana 5. I was looking at the new Inov-8 Road-X range (the 233 in particular), until I found out the price! £90? When I only paid £55 for the f-Lites? No thanks!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CQv8iP1Ahfxpfqaa1ulFyKFnmottTp1OVRjPqK9usIeK_vEeO_wCHxhQqzGv_r1Tuk7y_hXFeiDg-H30I0ENIleypNGX8Ic2obQLsQwJIrcwj0tG4KpCpjkdImHcD4QBcDAKTSVPi0A1/s1600/IMAG0058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CQv8iP1Ahfxpfqaa1ulFyKFnmottTp1OVRjPqK9usIeK_vEeO_wCHxhQqzGv_r1Tuk7y_hXFeiDg-H30I0ENIleypNGX8Ic2obQLsQwJIrcwj0tG4KpCpjkdImHcD4QBcDAKTSVPi0A1/s320/IMAG0058.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suitable Running Attire (ii)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-22939476176046653442011-04-19T16:13:00.000-07:002011-04-19T16:13:12.583-07:00So that was the first big weekend of the summer...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/g9Krvl7AEAs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Having fully committed myself to my first ultra in preparation for a </span><a href="http://www.spartathlon.gr/main.php" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><u>2012 Spartathlon</u></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> entry, I thought I’d better get some training under my belt. </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="im" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="im" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The ultra in question is the </span><a href="http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/events/details/?eventid=100" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><u>Ultra Race 100</u></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> in June. Previously known as the Cotswold Ultra 100. A 100 mile loop around the roads and lanes of Warwickshire and the Wolds, starting and finishing in Stratford. (Look, here I am in the </span><a href="http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/events/downloads/entrykits/2011-ur100-entry-list.xls" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><u>list of runners</u></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">!)</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="im" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="im" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">With this in mind, I thought I ought to start putting some decent back-to-back mileages together at the weekend. </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, first up on Saturday, I did my regular </span><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/79558115" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><u>5-and-a-bit-mile road run and decided to do it twice</u></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, but experimenting at trying to keep to what I hope will be my ultra-pace: 10min/mi. The weather this weekend was great, and allowed for my first topless run of the year (don't worry, it's mostly on deserted country lanes and farmers tracks!). The way the loop works it meant that despite one loop being over 5mi, two left me just short, so I tagged on another half a mile or so to take me over the 10mi mark. It felt awkward holding back my pace, and I was consciously reigning it in all the time. It did mean though, that by the end, despite averaging 30secs/mi faster than I would have liked, I hardly felt tired at all. Which is the idea given that, come race day, I'd have another 90 to go at this stage.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1znhRa63bmycyTxXL07KN0CdAy_QPRszySeSY55ukQN03DKy08OFPx0vI1v75m_mB9yiBnyMz3l44mbbHuj9vexiVlmR2ROaRSij4LPWlJTE3zmqPNqm0A4DRU0TfyyP3IaiqDNLu_5ps/s1600/10+Trig+5+Hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1znhRa63bmycyTxXL07KN0CdAy_QPRszySeSY55ukQN03DKy08OFPx0vI1v75m_mB9yiBnyMz3l44mbbHuj9vexiVlmR2ROaRSij4LPWlJTE3zmqPNqm0A4DRU0TfyyP3IaiqDNLu_5ps/s200/10+Trig+5+Hands.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cult of the Trig</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Sunday, I hooked up with a few other runners for a bash round the </span><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/79767702" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">7 Trigs</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> route. There were 5 of us in total: Steve the organiser, Duff and Antisocial of the FRA Forum, Steve's mate Ash - a late convert to fell-running from cycling, and me. The 7 Trigs is a 28mi circular route around the moors above Heptonstall, Widdop, Boulsworth, etc. (</span><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/79767702" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">see Garmin details</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">). The route is very off-piste: there are few distiguishable lines, and most of the time is spent bashing through heather, or bog-trotting. The effect of this - combined with the unusual unbroken sun and heat - was very, very tiring. </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdJF9zjaNmVUZ1pMnyLAIuz5UV02y8HNHw86zym4Hz8LS6GC4XjcncGWMA7x8M6Okyq8yzWTGyXItEnl8YowfaMKcf7n8swJhQ_czr57U4HErbKVz7sMSkUx6Jsr8mle1WIvDzM_48Of2/s1600/3.1+Bridestone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdJF9zjaNmVUZ1pMnyLAIuz5UV02y8HNHw86zym4Hz8LS6GC4XjcncGWMA7x8M6Okyq8yzWTGyXItEnl8YowfaMKcf7n8swJhQ_czr57U4HErbKVz7sMSkUx6Jsr8mle1WIvDzM_48Of2/s200/3.1+Bridestone.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridestones nr. Trig 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0i_mmTTXaYP1-xAQLn9e3Lt74_BjKbEU2iiv4_38JejskKr1HqmOehKdf8XbporTuuv6sOfdo3sGghY9GFT9Rma50NiUB0ellg5ULjQf8XkZDIIBxxGeam0vpug9SkJXAR_mB8ZX2fX0/s1600/4+Trig+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0i_mmTTXaYP1-xAQLn9e3Lt74_BjKbEU2iiv4_38JejskKr1HqmOehKdf8XbporTuuv6sOfdo3sGghY9GFT9Rma50NiUB0ellg5ULjQf8XkZDIIBxxGeam0vpug9SkJXAR_mB8ZX2fX0/s200/4+Trig+3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve and Anti at Trig 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">By mile 8, after the second trig, I felt my energy levels go through the floor - I was bonking. I had eaten a large bowl of porridge in the morning, with a cup of sweet tea, followed by a mug of coffee and a few squares of brownie provided by Steve, the organiser, at the start. At each trig I had had a handful of mixed nuts, fruits and seeds. On top of that, there was a fuel dump at each road crossing, and the first of these was before the second trig at 6.5mi! At this point I had eaten more brownie squares and some jelly babies.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This left me hanging on until the next fuel stop at 12.9mi where we crossed the Widdop Road. Here, I necked a couple of bananas, had half a dozen squares of rocky road, as well as topping up my bottle with some squash (I was also using a bladder in my OMM rucksack). I should also say that we lost Duff by this stage to a recurrence of a calf injury. After this brief stop, I was beginning to feel much better in my head, and after a few minutes running up towards Boulsworth Hill, I felt the energy find its way to my legs too, and my blisters - another story, see below - start to go numb.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ia61ULPJpug1hkoTj2jtJpFA58kbC8FUG4a18ZQ3Aj05mPp06sTs9_nahmDswSbDnJuSQjD_C10WNFyALr8Nbqy2D4ZKqdlaTNmxNktLndFfOxD-o3qD5aIB2ur9p_vNYa02yD2d-K6R/s1600/6+Boulsworth+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ia61ULPJpug1hkoTj2jtJpFA58kbC8FUG4a18ZQ3Aj05mPp06sTs9_nahmDswSbDnJuSQjD_C10WNFyALr8Nbqy2D4ZKqdlaTNmxNktLndFfOxD-o3qD5aIB2ur9p_vNYa02yD2d-K6R/s200/6+Boulsworth+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From near to far: Steve, Anti & Ash climbing up to Boulsworth</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4irQNvd4WUTTK9y7fk1-wqTCXyv18Vp2oEm07x2KeMjQPa8p1iaiyBFKB3fNZ7YSLsM9kHYn7G1k-pOoVqyuw5gJp3Ae-pOrw7Dip9y9z7_WhUyq73PuisuHjCM-z8LJ3MnCDJ4K3ndQ/s1600/7+Trig+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4irQNvd4WUTTK9y7fk1-wqTCXyv18Vp2oEm07x2KeMjQPa8p1iaiyBFKB3fNZ7YSLsM9kHYn7G1k-pOoVqyuw5gJp3Ae-pOrw7Dip9y9z7_WhUyq73PuisuHjCM-z8LJ3MnCDJ4K3ndQ/s200/7+Trig+4.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">l-r: me, Ash, & Anti at Trig 5 - Boulsworth</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Despite this stop, and despite me continuing to dip my hand into my nutsack - stready! - <b>and</b> having eaten a chocolate covered cereal bar, my strength started to wane again after mile 16. Luckily - for me at least - Ash was struggling with his knee and by mile 19 had to slow to a walk. It sounded like ITB, so as we walked to the final road crossing and fuel dump at mile 21, I was able to dispense the benefit of my ITB experience with him, as well as gather myself for the final stretch. I gobbled a load more fuel at the road while we waited for Ash's missus to collect him. Again, another couple of bananas, some rocky road, jelly babies, and more squash</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvY8ClF11TNCqzTKMO9i-Iz3iEzUmwkYgOAie0X214RBFS0ZcEIYoyEoylKGuQlOeFosf5z1O6x-OTHYsTS_RG7nPvMrYOOcVVVRQzcLowe5g5hYfEpsay93SAGqFsg5qcynMnkxC0zrrK/s1600/12+Trig+7+Knackered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvY8ClF11TNCqzTKMO9i-Iz3iEzUmwkYgOAie0X214RBFS0ZcEIYoyEoylKGuQlOeFosf5z1O6x-OTHYsTS_RG7nPvMrYOOcVVVRQzcLowe5g5hYfEpsay93SAGqFsg5qcynMnkxC0zrrK/s200/12+Trig+7+Knackered.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trig 7...finally!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The final stretch largely follows the route (or one of the lines, at least) of Tanky's Trog - so Antisocial and Steve were telling me. Once we hit the final two trigs, which were quite close in succession, it was mainly a dash downhill into Hebden Bridge. This was across farmers fields and well-worn trods and so was a welcome relief from the moorland heather. The final climb back up to Heptonstall was short but sharp, and I could feel my body overheating. At one point as the path zig-zagged up Anti and Steve were about to break into a jog, but I was just far too hot. I stuck with it to the top though, and as we hit the cobbled streets of Heptonstall, it was a short 50yd dash (shuffle) to arrive back where 5 of us had started at Weaver's Square some 6hrs 43minutes & 27.16miles earlier.</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">After a quick finishers' photo:</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbOBh1CK5FO26eRs4DD7A8RY6g0OC6sxZ-dHXqqOEaOyPQUQjX_5Dfu8pGC1JEJByldWElW6aT3IDQAON5P1ei9HNUuProZsqGYxDAqX1b5QLBWUhk1eEiWKkgxFhNowo4CqhNboEGkSr/s1600/14+C%2527est+Fin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbOBh1CK5FO26eRs4DD7A8RY6g0OC6sxZ-dHXqqOEaOyPQUQjX_5Dfu8pGC1JEJByldWElW6aT3IDQAON5P1ei9HNUuProZsqGYxDAqX1b5QLBWUhk1eEiWKkgxFhNowo4CqhNboEGkSr/s400/14+C%2527est+Fin.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C'est fin!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6QRG_XMOzqsGC5WBGam3KNkKQNQWHDVvhuZWxWmz2tgG4wmYglos7cKIg8H5QRsfrp7MbVGeAAZ0WrYt4HEUWg9jaER9sOXA34sVykF6KiDH-XxJOLfxvcicZPL7bWXpf5GfDlLOPO1L/s1600/16+Apres+Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6QRG_XMOzqsGC5WBGam3KNkKQNQWHDVvhuZWxWmz2tgG4wmYglos7cKIg8H5QRsfrp7MbVGeAAZ0WrYt4HEUWg9jaER9sOXA34sVykF6KiDH-XxJOLfxvcicZPL7bWXpf5GfDlLOPO1L/s200/16+Apres+Me.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me & pint, after a long, hot run = heaven!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">And a quick change of clothes, I necked a smoothie I had made in the morning before heading back to the pub for a celebratory pint of Wainwright (& some dry-roasted peanuts and a packet of Mini-Cheddars) with Steve. </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpq8ndgvoIm53_yUE80qg0ctqXjpY1kn1hTiegRFUCMq_aRNwFasq2TkdcxDSvvHHpzo2NEN8lBj9aCyjV67fnJVYpeox6lOHwNHhFuQ5Lnlr0cAC4_Ulwnkc7Usx2iRBQiWz-h1YQMTWQ/s1600/15+Apres+Steve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpq8ndgvoIm53_yUE80qg0ctqXjpY1kn1hTiegRFUCMq_aRNwFasq2TkdcxDSvvHHpzo2NEN8lBj9aCyjV67fnJVYpeox6lOHwNHhFuQ5Lnlr0cAC4_Ulwnkc7Usx2iRBQiWz-h1YQMTWQ/s200/15+Apres+Steve.jpg" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve: the man with a plan...and a pint!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Steve's got a plan for a sub-5hr attempt in May. I may well be up for it, but I need to improve how I keep myself fuelled for these things. It may have been that I hadn't refuelled enough from my efforts on the Saturday. It certainly felt like I was constantly running in calorie deficit, and the fuel stops only briefly brought me back into the black. It may have been the heat, but I went through a 1.5l bladder of water, 1.5l of squash, and a further 0.75l of weak squash with a pinch of salt. Not to mention the water & squash I drank straight from the big bottles - and therefore couldn't measure - at the fuel stops. </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Certainly, the next day - sunburn, a touch of heat-stroke the night before, and blisters* aside - I felt fine. My legs were moving freely and felt strong, and if I could have gotten my shoes on, I would have been out for another run in the evening. This bodes well for progress towards my ultra ambitions. </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In whichever way the run may have gone better for me, it is better to learn these lessons now and refine my training & nutrition early on than learn them in the race itself. I am now in touch with a nutritionist who has been introduced to me by a mutual friend at work, and I will see what advice they might be able to offer. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">That said, I know you lot are into the same sort of stuff as me, so assuming you've read this far, if you'd like to chuck in your tuppence worth, all advice would be greatly received!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><span style="font-size: small;">*I think this was due to wearing thinner socks than usual with my Walshes, in which I have survived longer runs - in terms of both distance and duration - with no problems.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjZG47_4RSwCAOqVbsXLOHpb5bJm717D9JYf2tjotNbsqJQvTwY9Y8tIrNybpu0ZxDHyFiidvR2P3mZQ9hGbYkVPCH4BKKL-nnjDRUhzDcQSlhOGLPVGD_zFiog5lySRFONff1ny8N_hI/s1600/18+Blister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjZG47_4RSwCAOqVbsXLOHpb5bJm717D9JYf2tjotNbsqJQvTwY9Y8tIrNybpu0ZxDHyFiidvR2P3mZQ9hGbYkVPCH4BKKL-nnjDRUhzDcQSlhOGLPVGD_zFiog5lySRFONff1ny8N_hI/s400/18+Blister.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blister. Just in case you were unsure.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>P.S. Hope you enjoyed the soundtrack to this entry. It was either that or Little Fluffly Clouds by The Orb, as that's what all the pics remind me of. In fact, stuff it, I'll spoil you:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TuSkyOpjoVk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-4754874659198412362011-02-01T00:12:00.000-08:002011-02-07T06:19:12.743-08:00Streak in the Peak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJzkMGRfKkFUEt2vtpB6-4ZmJ1qySXgJfTyIc-MIaSU3QvCGf3BxLTdS3cWpCY4sng3bv9UckXPPANoA5YUCpbyExHRy_tOsNNsZoJnQmVMErcLqEaHeItaOvqsm2zexqGzjxv6x-S9nd/s1600/SITP+Trig+2+Figs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJzkMGRfKkFUEt2vtpB6-4ZmJ1qySXgJfTyIc-MIaSU3QvCGf3BxLTdS3cWpCY4sng3bv9UckXPPANoA5YUCpbyExHRy_tOsNNsZoJnQmVMErcLqEaHeItaOvqsm2zexqGzjxv6x-S9nd/s320/SITP+Trig+2+Figs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Blogs, eh? None for months, then two in a matter of days. Don't know how I forgot to mention this in my last post; this is perfect blog-fodder (blodder?).<br />
<br />
Yup, this was pretty much as it says on the tin. A streak, in the Peak District. A fell run, <i>sans</i> kecks.<br />
<br />
Not that we need an excuse, but there was a reason behind it. Jan - fellow forumite, Dark Peak Fell Runner, book swapper extraordinaire - was due to emigrate to Enza (and at time of writing, has). He therefore decided that now was the perfect time to do something the DPFR crew had threatened for a while: to trod their regular stomping ground as the Good Lord intended. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8ePee4caeNgcbsODDtdKTUDMzhzD1YquWdNFAUUw1e624g_z9rWAMBH17Xmm87DT4ROWEs6XK5wj_1sB1UTBn0eVJcdZZb4TQj-m0DDCs7Y5MAno5qnR5pnd2kE6f047tkXdJ5z7nE76/s1600/SITP+Crowd+in+the+Mist.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8ePee4caeNgcbsODDtdKTUDMzhzD1YquWdNFAUUw1e624g_z9rWAMBH17Xmm87DT4ROWEs6XK5wj_1sB1UTBn0eVJcdZZb4TQj-m0DDCs7Y5MAno5qnR5pnd2kE6f047tkXdJ5z7nE76/s200/SITP+Crowd+in+the+Mist.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crowd in the mist</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As a result, the night before, there were 19 brave souls, ready to battle the elements in the nip. However, as dawn broke, 8 men realised what they'd signed up for. And then there were 11.<br />
<br />
We rendezvoused at Snailsden Reservoir with a worryingly large number of spectators about (amazing what these Dark Peakers think constitutes a wholesome family day out!). Jan also invited a mate, Lee (who's own thoughts on this escapade can be found <a href="http://www.raindropsolutions.com/index.php/2011/01/streak-in-the-peak/">here</a>) who put a report in to <a href="http://www.rochvalleyradio.org.uk/staff-richard-eden-maughan.html">Roch Valley Radio Sports Breakfast show</a>. The weather was grim: 4 degrees, misty, & drizzle. But I'd left home after having scraped the car in -3 degrees, so I thought it positively tropical. And besides, the mist might be best for all concerned!<br />
<br />
The route was out to the second trig due SW from there and back. In the spirit of SITP I ran unencumbered by Garmin (just plain forgot it) but from others' I think it was 4-5mi: 2-2.5mi each way. Due to the cold, we agreed to do the outward leg fully clothed to warm up. Trig, strip, and run back. So we did. <br />
<br />
The moment of truth, far from being awkward, was surprisingly easy to do. Resigned to it as condemned men, committed as we were? Though it did render the handshakes that we greeted each other with at the start as introductions were made unnecessarily formal. We took some pictures - just for proof, you understand; we're not weirdos or anything - and headed back.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETt1b3uupCvkLYuymZr-_BYAymlLjI8lgtN0d_345w0eMAuOIoSP93LNd1i0O-NSbwAZ4yRt7IJQdHfRyl5FtQOfq7n5Yamopu9tjwAb3YZTRD09em9QOPUyJ7WmOgdF0siV9ObiUPuhV/s1600/SITP+Trig+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETt1b3uupCvkLYuymZr-_BYAymlLjI8lgtN0d_345w0eMAuOIoSP93LNd1i0O-NSbwAZ4yRt7IJQdHfRyl5FtQOfq7n5Yamopu9tjwAb3YZTRD09em9QOPUyJ7WmOgdF0siV9ObiUPuhV/s200/SITP+Trig+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiubvKFj6u39DDFfP8u62LBEwRl4fhe6L_ynJQ0SIZgWTiHBWgOMW-dbaP65uNXRlX9UkLI2dH13qff0VJtNxXvGkw6iFZcXQjjGpDZxU6y7Ja2C0WrCQAEQo38tHXoAowt-KOCaDOe3-ZJ/s1600/SITP+After+the+Off+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiubvKFj6u39DDFfP8u62LBEwRl4fhe6L_ynJQ0SIZgWTiHBWgOMW-dbaP65uNXRlX9UkLI2dH13qff0VJtNxXvGkw6iFZcXQjjGpDZxU6y7Ja2C0WrCQAEQo38tHXoAowt-KOCaDOe3-ZJ/s200/SITP+After+the+Off+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20CYuj6LK0tR-5QQQvDEJGkgU88MjyxRYndBKyCJw5lLSRQw0BbJ71at5Gbx8nC8OogJ7cK80n2drJa_j4xjdwjuRcjGfSFXJMRsWp3ItWWQaYDvO3d42TE_ecJj0RFWis-GoBD8G_Ej9/s1600/SITP+Bums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20CYuj6LK0tR-5QQQvDEJGkgU88MjyxRYndBKyCJw5lLSRQw0BbJ71at5Gbx8nC8OogJ7cK80n2drJa_j4xjdwjuRcjGfSFXJMRsWp3ItWWQaYDvO3d42TE_ecJj0RFWis-GoBD8G_Ej9/s200/SITP+Bums.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't stop the bumrush</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYG1NlX3eLuYDEEdQrllPx3sobnKBD7Z4cmFL_RtI3wKhRlD_0G_pgt63sAvp4lp2VnjBofilnFTCcevF_DJ0w0Zn-v1OlrpsCzuKHwIblixfaBylqovCiiu_CqqHXnkeCZxmcMXvzm5a/s1600/SITP+Fig+Leaves+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYG1NlX3eLuYDEEdQrllPx3sobnKBD7Z4cmFL_RtI3wKhRlD_0G_pgt63sAvp4lp2VnjBofilnFTCcevF_DJ0w0Zn-v1OlrpsCzuKHwIblixfaBylqovCiiu_CqqHXnkeCZxmcMXvzm5a/s200/SITP+Fig+Leaves+1.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBkpibmmWWEdTUN5a09YGLiVsEraCERdGxorU0MtHJkwkL36hPCcXLuRTAfNudA6OmO5m9mggPjakio_13hb_xja7zA_lYWBUlEynUieQW7OCMXvlptk7FaQ2fH-1m_A54A6ORlNqPOKd/s1600/SITP+Finish+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBkpibmmWWEdTUN5a09YGLiVsEraCERdGxorU0MtHJkwkL36hPCcXLuRTAfNudA6OmO5m9mggPjakio_13hb_xja7zA_lYWBUlEynUieQW7OCMXvlptk7FaQ2fH-1m_A54A6ORlNqPOKd/s200/SITP+Finish+1.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The 'end' in sight (note dog looking at my danglies - a scary moment!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>And it was quite a nice feeling! Running along with nothing between you and the air. Now I'm not saying I'll take to this on a permanent basis (er, or at all, actually*), but I'd recommend if ever you get a chance to: give it a go. No? Oh well, each to their own...<br />
<br />
We got back to cheers and whistles and minimal milling about before getting our clothes on again. Jan made a nice presentation to each of us: a certificate & keyring with 'I streaked the Peak' on them, a bottle of Rescue Ale, a Peperami, and a Tunnocks. Then it was all back to Holmfirth for a few restorative beers and some grub. Obviously someone ordered the jumbo hotdog, though under the circumstances a Walnut Whip might have been more appropriate...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijutudiAk15DYTnIxsf5JtJQGiDC0QScsPxEoefv5lY1YF10w0fJoSyIf2SwCSSr0TzMghWm_siw_ywxT-BfwLE8gv9aUXCou_tfwljG1pAL5w_G5zKWVWxr4Olf6lPcx22orSzK6-9fmW/s1600/SITP+Pub+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijutudiAk15DYTnIxsf5JtJQGiDC0QScsPxEoefv5lY1YF10w0fJoSyIf2SwCSSr0TzMghWm_siw_ywxT-BfwLE8gv9aUXCou_tfwljG1pAL5w_G5zKWVWxr4Olf6lPcx22orSzK6-9fmW/s320/SITP+Pub+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh! The irony</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
All in all, a great day out, and a great send off for a thoroughly decent bloke.<br />
<br />
To Jan!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_9DyfIBDudNhcecwrUn7ZRphtHpGbpXcZaArJSQtCF8X21SJAl5yMsAkBCJh2NfXDL6j97QFN3bHbX30WI6bqr0DC4M8jbbr0guKNKCvSWGcF0Zb5jllOzDX-FcTd183OPCwPW_HaF45/s1600/SITP+Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_9DyfIBDudNhcecwrUn7ZRphtHpGbpXcZaArJSQtCF8X21SJAl5yMsAkBCJh2NfXDL6j97QFN3bHbX30WI6bqr0DC4M8jbbr0guKNKCvSWGcF0Zb5jllOzDX-FcTd183OPCwPW_HaF45/s320/SITP+Jan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan, resplendent</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">And if that weren't enough for you, there's a video, <a href="http://www.viddler.com/explore/Shrinkray/videos/1/">here</a>. This is heavily edited. Only those who were there get the unedited, director's cut. What goes on the Streak...<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*After this, my better half was told at work that there are reports of a bloke who furtively runs Pendle in the buff on a regular basis. She's not convinced that this person isn't me!</span> </div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-68349186115164287582011-01-30T01:58:00.000-08:002011-02-05T07:52:47.395-08:00Radio Silence is BrokenAll been a bit quiet my way, hasn't it? In my last post it mentioned I got a new job, and this has unfortunately left me with less time to do stuff like this (I don't get to 'work' from home as much). <br />
<br />
Quick run-down of goings on at chez UFM.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/48669556">Pendle Monster</a> completed<br />
- Forgot about Tour of Pendle<br />
- Not making it back in time for runs with Clayton<br />
<br />
So not too great. Running has mainly been fast, flat 4mi+ runs before work in York, then hitting Pendle for some major hill sessions of a weekend.<br />
<br />
Plans for 2011? HPM if I can get on a team, Fellsman would be nice, a late BGR (if my knee survives the former). I've got an eye on a 2012 Spartathlon, so may need to do other events, as it has got strict qualification criteria regarding 100km & 200km experience.<br />
<br />
Also just about to start my own business with a friend in the next few weeks, so no let up.<br />
<br />
Watch this space. Assuming I get the time to write about it!GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-4700474630060362552010-06-18T03:16:00.000-07:002010-06-19T01:17:35.564-07:00Here Comes the Summer<div style="text-align: justify;">After the mixed success of my last set of goals, I’ve put together my next set of goals to see me over the summer. As before I’m giving myself a 6-week window, but I’m making it slightly different in that the 6-weeks is the training period, geared towards getting me ready to hit my goals, but this will then be followed by a test week, in which I’ll tackle a different goal each day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhO0r8XEbxfURsPVfnDRsCvL445fqgAOb26oOYdzCpK_gu8bc96-FRy_LifWMStwLw0GC4HRN8tAMrfsgmtYxo1Xp4ZFRn4AJXxGAdRMOVrFQweayZtcDJCa3Q7FQuRVgnbqpbD_0hWvX/s1600/bench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhO0r8XEbxfURsPVfnDRsCvL445fqgAOb26oOYdzCpK_gu8bc96-FRy_LifWMStwLw0GC4HRN8tAMrfsgmtYxo1Xp4ZFRn4AJXxGAdRMOVrFQweayZtcDJCa3Q7FQuRVgnbqpbD_0hWvX/s200/bench.jpg" width="120" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I’ve tried to avoid goals I can’t do/measure (unlike last time), but having said that... I’ve still included the bench press goal, my thinking being that I now have a bench that’ll allow me to do it, and BH has said if I’m good I can buy more weights which will mean I have enough to do the hundred in theory, even if my body’s not ready for it!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The weight thing, I’m not too bothered about now. I will try and weigh myself out of interest (if only to work out what weights I’m shifting as a % of bodyweight), but I think the training and continued focus on my diet will probably see my body go the way I want it to anyway.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So then, those goals...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Press Ups</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having hit the 100, I don’t want to lose it, so will be looking to maintain this and still be able to knock out 100 in the test week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKT4HuzuNqoC9XdS1YA6p6Hq8aD5vHJwVzKDQDN8KLqDhB5aGYrzEUFTrzwEtsPJ4hZ-f61sY05Ymkz1Eh4GwH1GWIOzs7t4biA9QpD-8XpsDHTsyc27bJH1Gdzh2gJuYete3mFNEGGlIG/s1600/doorgym.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKT4HuzuNqoC9XdS1YA6p6Hq8aD5vHJwVzKDQDN8KLqDhB5aGYrzEUFTrzwEtsPJ4hZ-f61sY05Ymkz1Eh4GwH1GWIOzs7t4biA9QpD-8XpsDHTsyc27bJH1Gdzh2gJuYete3mFNEGGlIG/s200/doorgym.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>Pull Ups</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Complete the 50 Pull Ups Program. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Bench Press</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bench 100kg over 5 reps</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
<b>Running</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Break 7min/mi average over my 4mi run (will be a tough one this, at it’s a hilly one)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I may include a swimming goal. When I swim I tend to do 100 lengths crawl (2.5km). I might set a benchmark time in my first training week, and then set a quicker target time over the same distance for my test week</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But that’s it. Simple. I’ve also attached my Week A/Week B training plans, as well as my test week. I may well vary from the training plan, as over the coming 6-weeks I am away with work for a number of days (e.g. 4 days in south Wales) which will throw me out a bit, but I’ll work around this somehow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And all this kicks off week commencing 5th July (I’ve been ill this week so not trained at all; recovery/get back into it week next week; and then in Northern Ireland for a whole week the week after). I’ll just throw some stuff together to keep me ticking over until then.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Witness the fitness. Or failure, as the case may be.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVbmZhatijBUYxiUD3mQKmXYKsMX7EqFDo0DbTiHkkfbHRvxXi45mv8_-5bcKIOON-0LQRtzHOHS9Q4CnZUSSgbX7IagdjxPO5GgfWNAUC9rKfswH2DNfzMeUGsghHo54bl16CIXNfAtu/s1600/Summer+Goals.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVbmZhatijBUYxiUD3mQKmXYKsMX7EqFDo0DbTiHkkfbHRvxXi45mv8_-5bcKIOON-0LQRtzHOHS9Q4CnZUSSgbX7IagdjxPO5GgfWNAUC9rKfswH2DNfzMeUGsghHo54bl16CIXNfAtu/s320/Summer+Goals.bmp" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-75955126757205336112010-06-14T03:51:00.000-07:002010-06-14T05:28:14.529-07:00Time Gentlemen Please<div style="text-align: justify;">Blimey 6 weeks goes so fast! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not blogged in a while, but I only ever blog when working from home, and I've been out and about quite a bit since my last post, so not had the opportunity. In fact, I even started drafting this post 3 weeks ago! My silence though should not be taken for inaction. No no, plenty of that. Let's see where it got me with a quick round up of how I did against my goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>100 Press Up Challenge Completed</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhokSuj0XinKLm5Pbz-mMELbl5WSFZ2P0t1o6LXPWWg_B063zEzPOBshquWJs87LEDwiQ6wefajRhEszwUFIfGsgNvvfFdsMz6OrBoAYCMp_OxeRzCsShe7UC7bkZuc3ifJfFFRSybJwIW3/s1600/100PushUps.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhokSuj0XinKLm5Pbz-mMELbl5WSFZ2P0t1o6LXPWWg_B063zEzPOBshquWJs87LEDwiQ6wefajRhEszwUFIfGsgNvvfFdsMz6OrBoAYCMp_OxeRzCsShe7UC7bkZuc3ifJfFFRSybJwIW3/s320/100PushUps.gif" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Check. Did this in the final week, and boy do I feel pleased with myself. This is an excellent programme for those that want to build more upper body strength, tone up, or just fancy being able to say they can do 100 press ups. Been attempting this on and off since Nov '08, and got up to 80ish before breaking my hand last March. Have since been maintaining at the top level.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<b>50 Pull Up Challenge Completed</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, not quite. As I said previously, I had started off able to do 15, but these were fairly lazy ones to the chin only. After a rethink, I now do them much harder than before and am making good progress. But because I have started much lower (after a wasted couple of weeks doing it the old way as well) I ended the 6 weeks only up to week 3. The main problem slowing me down, is that I didn't always have access to somewhere to do pull-ups. Press-ups, you can do anywhere there's a floor. With the pull-ups, I only had the staff rest room in the office (an old beam in a refurbished mill), which I could only use when empty (to spare my blushes), and when in the office. I do have a scaffolding pole that I use above the steps to the attic, but the bar is quite wide, and I find my grip tires long before my arms do. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since then though, I have found the garage roof, into the garage doorway very good, and at the weekend bought one of those JML door gym thingys that sit above the doorway and use your body as a counterweight. Great fun.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am even now though still on week 3, albeit due to do the last session today. Towards the end of my 6th weeks I added a new goal which was: Get a New Job. In this time, I applied, was assessed, interviewed (twice) and finally got it. The preparation this required meant the spare time I would have dedicated to some of my exercises was instead spent reading up on industry news, my employers to be, and anticipating various questions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sometimes goals have to change to reflect different priorities, hey-ho.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Bench Press/Hitting 12.5st</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Neither of these goals particularly well thought out: not enough weight or the correct bench to bench 100kg, even if I could; <b> </b>and no idea what I weigh still, as I have no scales.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I now have a bench with a rack which will allow me to lift 100kg, but only once I get hold of another 30kg of weights!! Still a work in progress. Now I am maintaining my press-ups at Wk6 of the challenge though, I will alternate the high-rep press-up work with low-rep high-weight benching.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for the weight, I have drastically altered my diet: stripped out masses of the fat I was eating, and replacing with healthier eats: big lunches of pasta (1.5mugs dry), tuna, mayo, sweetcorn and tobasco; snacks of nuts, fruits & seeds instead of chocolate bars. I also finished my protein course and am on the creatine: 1-2x3g in water each day, depending on level of activity. With all this I reckon I have probably gained some towards my goal, but really should make an effort to get weighed!<br />
<br />
<b>Running</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wasn't able to get into this as much as I'd hoped, as my injury carried on long into my 6 weeks. However, am now up and running again, combining medium length road runs<b> </b>(4-10mi over some quite hilly roads) with short sharp hill sessions over Pendle (6-7mi with approx 2,200ft of climb).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Swimming</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not the basis of any of my original<b> </b> goals, but when it was clear I was going to be off running for longer than I thought, I decided to get down the pool. I can now do 100 lengths (2.5km) in good order of front crawl, in just under 1:15, though still with some niggles which comes down to technique. I will probably factor this in to the next set of goals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My next post will hopefully not be as long coming as this one was, and will have another set of 6-week goals. The main focus of these will be on the running and the pull-ups, but I'm now going to scratch my head over what these will look like.</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-87540986202813297332010-04-13T05:14:00.000-07:002010-04-13T05:49:59.236-07:00On the Road Again<div style="text-align: justify;">Back running last night and feeling fine. Great little run in the sunshine, even got away in just my vest. Mainly on the road, with a diversion over the local golf course and farmer's fields.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/29920660">http://connect.garmin.com/activity/29920660</a><b></b><br />
<br />
Anyway, how's progress toward them goals coming along?<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Goals Progress Week 1 </b><br />
<br />
<b>Press-Ups:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After getting a bit ahead of myself following my initial exhaustion test of 50 (I jumped to week 5 column 3), and failing miserably, I pulled back to week 4 with much better results:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Day 1 (60secs rest) - 21/25/21/21/32, 120 total</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Day 2 (90secs rest) - 25/29/25/25/26, 140 total</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Day 3 (120secs rest) - 29/33/29/29/42, 162 total</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Was supposed to do a max test after this, but this would have put the next week out so tonight I hit week 5 again, hopefully with better results after working through week 4. I have to do a total of 170 over 5 sets, with only 60 secs rest, so it won't be easy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Pull-Ups:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Again jumped too far ahead on this, but only because I was going for an easy pull up. I was finishing the rep once my chin was over the bar, now I pull further. For clarification, the technique is:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ol style="text-align: justify;"><li>Start position: full hang, arms just wider than shoulder width apart, over-hand grip</li>
<li>Pull-up until chest touches bar/edge of gripping surface</li>
<li>Return to start position, just keeping elbows short of locking at full extension</li>
</ol><div style="text-align: justify;">After an initial max test on the lazy technique (15 reps) and one day at week 3, I redid the max test and got 7 full pull-ups before I couldn't pull my chest up as high. I'm now on week 1 column 3 according to the programme and have got day 1 under my belt (5/6/4/3/5 with 60secs rest).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will push my six-week goal to the test, as this is a six-week programme, so no room for slip up and repeating a week. In fact, I'm already down a week really, as I'm only just at the start of week 1 (in the programme) at the end of my first week (of my countdown to my goals). Confused? Yeah, me too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Bench Press:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Very embarrassing this. I don't actually have 100kg of weights to attempt this!! I've only got 73kg of weight to put on my bar. Also, I realise I need a new bench that's got a rack to hold the bar as I hit these bigger weights. The most I can heft up from the floor from a seated position, and then manipulate up my body (without crushing my unmentionables, or my chest) into a lying bench press position is 63kg. Once there, I can bench these quite comfortably. So I need to get a new bench (I've seen a good one with a rack from Decathlon I'll treat myself to after pay-day), and 2x15/20kg plates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For now, I'll just do what I can with the weights I can move after my press ups.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Hitting 12.5st:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Again, should have thought this through a bit better. I've got no way of measuring this, as we don't actually own a set of scales. However, diet is now heavy on the carbs and protein (mainly tuna/mayo/sweetcorn with pasta or baked spuds), supplemented with a post-training protein shake. Just need to track down a decent set of scales. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Running:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">First run since 17th March last night. 4.09mi, and kept a fairly consistent pace which averaged around 7.30mins/mi. It had 340ft of climb on it, so quite hilly for a little road run. Main thing is my knee felt fine throughout. Gonna give it a couple of days before trying it again, continuing to stretch and stregthen the necessaries in order to fend off future ITB problems. Also going to keep it on road (or at least away from fells with dodgy terrain) for the time being so as not to aggravate it again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The running goals are the ones I'm prepared to be most flexible with, as I've got to nurse my knee back to health, and I'm not going to sacrifice my running for the sake of hitting a couple of goals. Will keep this one under review.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Swimming:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having got my breathing technique sorted out, I'm going to time myself over 1km in the pool tonight, and from there set a time goal over the same distance for the end of the six-week period. Watch this space.</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-10302728705785501602010-04-05T09:41:00.000-07:002010-04-13T05:49:49.476-07:00Eat my Goals<div style="text-align: justify;">With the decision last week to get a bit more focused I've been having a think about my goals and have decided to give them a bit more structure. So all this to be achieved in the next 6 weeks:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>100 press-up challenge completed</li>
<li>50 pull-up challenge completed</li>
<li>Bench press 100kg x5 reps</li>
<li>Up weight to 12.5st (from 12st) </li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;">Assuming my legs start running this week too (testing them out tonight), I'll be aiming for:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Sub 7min/mi average on a regular 7mi route of mine (quite hilly road route)</li>
<li>To be able to run all the way to the trig at Pendle following the Tour route up to CP1 (currently break into a walk part way up).</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;">I might also add a swimming goal here too, but I need to sort my stroke out. Currenty gasping for breath at the end of my crawl stroke. I'm trying to use a 3-stroke rhythm, alternating the side I breathe out of, but think I might be either too fast/slow in exhaling in the water, leaving me panic breathing when I lift my head out of the water (and having to rest after every other length catching my breath). Will work on perfecting this stroke first. If anyone can help out with this, let me know.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To assist with all of these, I've changed my diet in the last week. With more activity during the week, I've been more reliant on cooking for myself. Until last week, this involved pizza, fish finger butties, and Frey Bentos pies. Last week, I started hitting the jacket potatoes or pasta, mixing up some tuna, light mayo, sweetcorn, and tobasco. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've also got hold of some protein and creatine supplements - there's an excellent offer in Holland & Barrett if you buy their magazine (99p) there's vouchers to get a decent sized tub of protein & creatine, both for less than £20. I'm only going to use these as recovery supplements, one protein portion after each session, moving on to the creatine after this runs out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the end of the six weeks - assuming I've hit my goals - I'm going to set another set of goals. I'm not sure what yet, but have been inspired by an article in the afformentioned H&B magazine and like the look of the <a href="http://www.gymjones.com/knowledge.php?id=35">Gym Jones 300 test</a> (a programme and test put together for the actors in 300, but a good focus on total body strength/fitness). Also been inspired by Ninja Warrior(!), a Japanese obstacle course based challenge, currently showing on Virgin (but also broadcast on Challenge, I think). Looks good for a laugh, but also quite tough.<br />
<br />
Got six weeks to work out what goals I could build using these as start-points. In the meantime, I've got plenty to be getting on with.</div><ul style="text-align: justify;"></ul>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-64789908269117438732010-03-31T03:31:00.000-07:002010-03-31T03:59:44.624-07:00Beefcake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">With my knee out of action I need a new focus. In quite a timely way, just before my knee went I noticed I'd developed what could only be described as a runner's frame. Not quite a racing snake, but I'd defnitely lost a lot of my bulk up top. Since my knee fixed itself last August/September, 99% of my training has been for running, and all my upper-body work went out the window. So I'm now quite weedy again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Time to work on the 'big guns':</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6EUybP7S-WgvwWHbfO0dnlCGbE0K-GH9O6v05alNvr1ngjHMoEoWSV8pNw_5moEz0TgxqwgijQ6jBddqck7dL-cHA_M5EU97WpTKvn4rhTN6oFJRsW8c_duJ3LaC6ZIBjIGHKMi8HkH2/s200/big+guns.jpg" width="200" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Big guns</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In order to do this, I've restarted the <a href="http://hundredpushups.com/">100 press-up programme</a>, and my own 50 pull-up programme (essentially, just the press-up programme, with all the numbers cut in half). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So far...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Press-Ups: </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Max Test 1 - 50</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Day 1 - 118 total (28/35/25/22/8 - instead of 35!)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pull-Ups</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Max Test 1 - 15</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Day 1 - 40 total (7/9/7/7/10 - but last set I needed a couple of rests to finish)</div><br />
Failed both my first days, but think I know why: in both cases, I may have got carried away after my max tests and moved too far ahead in the programme. Add to that the fact my first press-up day I did the day after my max test, and it all kind of fits. Will adjust my position in each programme throughout this first week, until I find my level, & then the only way is up. Will also dust off my weights and bench once I've cleared out the garage (a job for a bank holiday, if ever there was one).<br />
<br />
Grrr.<br />
<br />
Still continuing with my Pilates and ITB work, and halfway through the second week of my enforced rest. Gonna try a little 3.5mi road run, possibly Monday. Watch this space.GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-65252818384446244142010-03-20T04:36:00.000-07:002010-03-20T06:01:55.406-07:00ITB & Sympathy<div style="text-align: justify;">Turns out my knee is still sulking with me for putting it through the High Peak Marathon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following the race, and a bit of waddling about on the Sunday, by the Monday, I was walking fine. I went out for the Tuesday night headtorcher over Pendle with Clayton and was running really strong, up until my headtorch started failing and I planted myself on the ground after a fall at speed, cushioning the blow with nothing but my dodgy knee. Towards the end of the run I started getting a pain so eased off, but after a bit of poking and prodding in the pub afterwards, it turned out to be a bruising pain on the surface rather than the sharp pain just under the surface you get with ITB.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, given the all clear, I managed to get out for another run on the Thursday: a glorious run in the sunshine over Pendle. Shorts, t-shirt (first of the year), beautiful views, so a very slow one just enjoying the mild weather and the views, but ending once more with a pain in the knee. Again, poking and prodding suggested the bruising, but I might have been using a bit of wishful thinking here.<br />
[<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/26693931">Pendle run</a>] </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/26693931"><pendle run=""></pendle></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At this point, I think I'm in the clear, so start planning a run round Widdop. A nice 10-12mi loop taking in some dramatic scenery I've been meaning to explore for a while. I drive past this area on the way to the office regularly, and on Thursday it just looked so nice in the sun, I thought why not. So on Sunday, armed with a hand-drawn map (a copy of the 1:25,000 OS map from www.streetmap.co.uk) I start the run in great weather again eager to see somewhere new.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AqVD1i_amHKJYolzHYI-3v_lbCDDzVxJrKNGX0xzR9C0KVq3EcJHyMzIk1gOX-kmSD0P8WfobmbjUCzwzNmnJY8zPMjR-V1SYqCOHkcpI_IApItvur6HnXwltp58AjA1BXUApE7YyyOP/s1600-h/Widdop+14.03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AqVD1i_amHKJYolzHYI-3v_lbCDDzVxJrKNGX0xzR9C0KVq3EcJHyMzIk1gOX-kmSD0P8WfobmbjUCzwzNmnJY8zPMjR-V1SYqCOHkcpI_IApItvur6HnXwltp58AjA1BXUApE7YyyOP/s200/Widdop+14.03.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYmOQr32mzkkeXNilPcXh9m_2JFiH5fwA9VnQY_jhLywjod-zBfGo_PtusBoxyudnsh2y6A23VokQodzjv8BOy0NDH159WFT-qaNwQS9s3js-6OAZqMSjRVgxK-wkgKASUQY6cM6yqFLz/s1600-h/Widdop+14.03+%282%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYmOQr32mzkkeXNilPcXh9m_2JFiH5fwA9VnQY_jhLywjod-zBfGo_PtusBoxyudnsh2y6A23VokQodzjv8BOy0NDH159WFT-qaNwQS9s3js-6OAZqMSjRVgxK-wkgKASUQY6cM6yqFLz/s200/Widdop+14.03+%282%29.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_Zrhbaw7dh7WiyLjnKEAQb15omWqeNm2dSvskNh_hV_zLFxTXtLDoqtKZT5JipvRNLoFlmqmNXzOTfsHl7d6qNglmxT-jOLJUvNsx-sPUBGCfo5n05G_OYIKo4cZg2nr1pin9B4miyFP/s1600-h/Widdop+14.03+%281%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_Zrhbaw7dh7WiyLjnKEAQb15omWqeNm2dSvskNh_hV_zLFxTXtLDoqtKZT5JipvRNLoFlmqmNXzOTfsHl7d6qNglmxT-jOLJUvNsx-sPUBGCfo5n05G_OYIKo4cZg2nr1pin9B4miyFP/s200/Widdop+14.03+%281%29.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Attempt at a panoramic view over Widdop whilst I was still enjoying myself (they preview in line, anyway).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">What a miserable run it was. Started well enough on public footpaths, nice soft grass underfoot, great running. But my route soon took me off-piste and I ended up slogging for what felt like miles up this knee-high heather covered hill which just wasn't runnable at all until you hit a burnt patch here and there. I eventually made it to what was marked as a bridleway, but was just tussocks, with the odd line of bog marking the way. All of this slowed me down; and also, with footing being so uneven, and not being able to run with a regular rhythm and normal gait, ended up with a really sharp pain in my knee which was, this time, unmistakably ITB. Which slowed me down even more. So made the decision to cut it short (with a few miles still left to get back to the car), and finally covered 7mi in about 2hrs...which was our average HPM pace!<br />
[<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/27191260">Widdop run</a>] </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/27191260"><widdop run=""></widdop></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Next day, the pain was non-existent, so I decide I can run, but just need to take it a bit easier: avoid rough terrain, and anything too long, setting a limit of 15mi. With that in mind, Wednesday I hit the road for a quick but hilly 7mi route. Just shy of 2mi I pull up with my ITB again. Decide to cut it short, again, and shuffle my way home, again. Was agony making my way home, especially getting overtaken by...joggers!! Oh, for shame!<br />
[<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/27476916">Aborted run</a>] </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><aborted road="" run=""> </aborted></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, I've made my mind up: 2 weeks of complete rest, no running whatsoever. Just a focus on stretching my ITB this week, then introducing some strengthening exercises week 2, as well as doing more Pilates at home for my core stability. Then slooooowly back into it after that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fellsman looking like a long-shot now. Maybe if I called it iTB I might enjoy it more? Make it sound young, and funky...</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-74568368547310112192010-03-08T06:33:00.000-08:002010-03-10T07:48:28.670-08:00All This Way for a Lousy T-shirt?<div style="text-align: justify;">That's unfair. It's actually quite a nice t-shirt, though I could have made off with this without doing the race itself, seeing as I'd handed over my cash and been given the bright red tee before the start. Anyway, I stuck around, and this is what happened...<br />
<br />
High Peak Marathon, 5-6th March, 42 miles.<br />
<br />
After a last minute reshuffle which saw Emma join Clare's Pussycat Trolls (see last blog entry) we drafted in a late substitute: Kev. A solid ultra-distance runner who finished last year's Fellsman in 20th, and currently in training for this year's Lakeland 100. On the day then, team 34 - Traversers, was made up of myself, Brian, Andy & Kev.<br />
<br />
Turning up with a few hours to go before the start enabled Brian and I to get our kit together, and start scoffing some of the plentiful (and free!) cakes, malt loaf & sandwiches, washed down with plenty of sweet tea. Saw the other survivors of last week's recce, gave Clare some Gore-Tex mitts (part of my enhanced kit list after the wild weather last Friday), paid Andy for the pleasure of the next few hours, and got my t-shirt.<br />
<br />
I started getting a bit anxious as we neared 10 o'clock and Kev still wasn't to be seen. I mean, what kind of nutter would agree to a 42 mile night time run with just about 48hrs notice? Surely he'd seen sense? But luckily he did show (weirdo), bringing his son along to run with Ian's (our recce navigator) Nuns from Chinley. But at least we had a team. We dumped the last of the stuff we didn't need in the car, and one very thorough kit check later, we were good to go.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYiNDkrbnLiHe4zMpeYNQTXUW4Nc0-fMAdbajcKGwwaKyYwdSvFNiH6cBR_GZAcKeAo_0M4pTQPxd6w2PwxAm6pj7gNrLl_0qSKqMyxY8pGyfGXGuu3xnjA3MblnLaXhdtzK2NvKSEY2Bv/s1600-h/CIMG3173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYiNDkrbnLiHe4zMpeYNQTXUW4Nc0-fMAdbajcKGwwaKyYwdSvFNiH6cBR_GZAcKeAo_0M4pTQPxd6w2PwxAm6pj7gNrLl_0qSKqMyxY8pGyfGXGuu3xnjA3MblnLaXhdtzK2NvKSEY2Bv/s320/CIMG3173.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Traversers before the off (from l-r): Kev, me, Andy & Brian</span></div><br />
The rest of the time was passed drinking and nervously chatting to our fellow runners. Then our team was called up, we dobbed our dibber*, and at 23.24, we were off. <br />
<br />
Andy and Kev settled into a fairly quick pace early on, and it wasn't long before we were passing other teams (I think 3 before CP1 at Hollins Cross). At this point the pace was bearable, but I did wonder how long I'd realistically be able to keep it up. I also had to abandon my chest pouch (see pic above) at this point. Bouncing up and down at home and in the village hall it was fine. Running properly, it just kept flapping up and down, so I shoved it in my sack, and redistributed some food to my jacket and the waist straps of my rucksack. Half an hour in, I really started struggling. I developed some bad stomach cramps. After a Paula Radcliffe moment on the climb up to Win Hill failed to alleviate things I was already thinking of giving up, wondering how I could possibly make it round the full route feeling like this. I decided to stick it out for a bit and gradually found myself running more freely, with a bit of nursing round by Kev. As we came into the food stop at Moscar it had reduced to a dull ache, and despite the sickly feeling in my stomach, managed to force some more malt loaf and a cup of tea down.<br />
<br />
The gentle run down to CP6 at Cutthroat Bridge on the road seemed to do wonders: it allowed a steady running pace, and gave time for the food to do its work. By the time we hit the rough stuff again at Cutthroat Bridge (the start point of our recce), the stomach was ignorable, and I could just focus on keeping Kev or Andy's heels in view. At this point Brian was beginning to struggle, and he wouldn't really recover for the rest of the race. As he has described it since, he just couldn't take on and keep down the fuel needed, so he settled into a slower plod. The pattern of running then waiting for Brian began to establish itself. This was alright for me as it gave me a chance to get my breath back, or take on a bit of food, but because of the pace I couldn't really allow myself to hang back for Brian too much - I was worried that having found my rhythm I might lose it again - though I did run with him in patches.<br />
<br />
Looking back, I should have got Kev and Andy to slow down for Brian. I guess this highlights the danger of a last minute team on such an event: the gap between Andy & Kev, and Brian & me was probably too big. If they slowed for Brian too much, they got cold; by going too fast, Brian and I were drained. <br />
<br />
Anyway, the gap was never a dangerous one, possibly until later in the race. All across Bleaklow (which I saw more of by moonlight than during the day last week!) Brian was in touching distance and we were stopping regularly. The gap really started opening after the second food stop at the Snake Pass crossing. At this point Brian and I both insisted we walk while we ate our food: a Marmite butty, and a very tasty slice of some cake or other. After that the run started again on the first really runnable section since Cutthroat Bridge: over the slabs of the Pennine Way to Mill Hill. At Mill Hill I got my camera out for the first time since we started whilst waiting for Brian (not long this time).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_A3zgPLQvh67j7E738bZ2mUkFNq3rMGSUkFP8VnaMkc3JzPQQRFjYvJ17PA82q5mm06oL0x6Xw5BHucXMTa03UIIZDr8-Jke6_zW_Wo86r9R6ypwA5j4SBFB9muZTIQiU58rxIzcC1j_/s1600-h/CIMG3174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_A3zgPLQvh67j7E738bZ2mUkFNq3rMGSUkFP8VnaMkc3JzPQQRFjYvJ17PA82q5mm06oL0x6Xw5BHucXMTa03UIIZDr8-Jke6_zW_Wo86r9R6ypwA5j4SBFB9muZTIQiU58rxIzcC1j_/s200/CIMG3174.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TE8q_F-VfyEzaDtD49rVFHbx4vpuhvHGmu5FnlbA_U4T62eryP-ujTPymPMbB8zI53_dM2-DYM6yE28WwomPKwLo5z98FAlfxM0vXM5Ir4miEY28puAnnh54xl56GO0gjUuLSMOPYZ3s/s1600-h/CIMG3175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TE8q_F-VfyEzaDtD49rVFHbx4vpuhvHGmu5FnlbA_U4T62eryP-ujTPymPMbB8zI53_dM2-DYM6yE28WwomPKwLo5z98FAlfxM0vXM5Ir4miEY28puAnnh54xl56GO0gjUuLSMOPYZ3s/s200/CIMG3175.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEgCOdrKrCgyzxOOh-02HoYosFl-USZrNPFOhsXhwVwIhHk6quA7GFoqbJVanZusevnH6wua1crXaPTw-qlJbv0yuFs7b6z7PgLWHOgAGJnIht46Yh8PG28vpRPmweHENqUon88_eZS8u/s1600-h/CIMG3176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEgCOdrKrCgyzxOOh-02HoYosFl-USZrNPFOhsXhwVwIhHk6quA7GFoqbJVanZusevnH6wua1crXaPTw-qlJbv0yuFs7b6z7PgLWHOgAGJnIht46Yh8PG28vpRPmweHENqUon88_eZS8u/s200/CIMG3176.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzFqwGBPO39kFZv7zeuG-WlKFgKp9BgDLEIrzmXax51Nl_aVxPz6RTo6j0tiA43GKSJ0lzIWoLZLwtrLtQMVvSwt13OpPr8YtSPbB8TW075EWRhACnnKRmoEqAopRBYRMjvky4bNQuwvL/s1600-h/CIMG3179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzFqwGBPO39kFZv7zeuG-WlKFgKp9BgDLEIrzmXax51Nl_aVxPz6RTo6j0tiA43GKSJ0lzIWoLZLwtrLtQMVvSwt13OpPr8YtSPbB8TW075EWRhACnnKRmoEqAopRBYRMjvky4bNQuwvL/s200/CIMG3179.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos from Mill Hill (CP16), c/wise from top L: Looking back towards Bleaklow; two of the typicaly chipper students manning the various CPs; ahead towards Kinder and beyond; Kev and Andy looking pleased with themselves, and annoyingly fresh</span></div></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I was feeling very strong at this point and I waved the team off to start without me while I finished taking pictures and mucked about with some kit. I then had a fairly pacey run to the base of Kinder where I caught up with Brian. Given I was feeling much stronger now, I was happy to stick with Brian knowing I could keep both me and him going. After reaching the top of the Kinder plateau though, this was more forced than a choice, as my knee decided this was the moment to pack in. My old ITB problem reared its head with (I think) 10 miles to go. Probably had a lot to do with the terrain we were running on: the first time it ever went was after running on surfaces where the foot 'squidges' from side to side before biting (like in mud, and ice, and snow), and to this point I'd been running over 30-odd miles of nothing but, well, mud, and ice, and snow! Every step now sent a sharp pain into the outside of my right knee. In particular on the downhill bits. Though on Kinder it undulates quite a lot, Kinder sits c350ft above Edale, with a couple of smaller climbs to (and therefore descents down from) Brown Knoll, Lord's Seat, Mam Tor and Hollins Cross. These last 10mi therefore, hurt. A lot. <br />
<br />
Once we caught up with Kev and Andy at Jacob's Ladder (CP17) I then just had to stick with them to get the run over with as soon as possible. Purely a psychological trick: Brian was the dobber, so it still wouldn't end until we all dibbed in at the CPs and crossed the line together. It was also a very poor excuse not to wait for him and it was at this point the gap started increasing, though Kev recognised this and so when the gap got too big, he ran back and stuck with Brian. I've since apologised for this, and my conscience finally made itself heard on the approach to Hollins Cross (the last CP, CP19), where I said that after this point we should all run the remainder of the way together.<br />
<br />
If you speak to Brian he was perfectly happy as he knows he can plod for miles and for him it was just a question of fuel, or lack thereof. I don't want to paint him as having suffered too much, but in a team event like this, I just think we should all have taken more care of him. <br />
<br />
Anyway, we did do the last bit together, with me swearing all the way down from Hollins Cross to the road, which gave us a nice final trot back to the village hall to warm applause, warm tea, and a delicious warm stew, cooked up by the organisers.<br />
<br />
Ian's team (which included Kev's son) came in 3rd in 9h37 - a cracking result (see the write up of this race in Laid Back Fellrunner, below).<br />
<br />
We sat and ate our stews, supping teas whilst we cheered home a few more teams, including Sir Ranulph Fiennes'** team, Poles Apart. After a while, it needed more than teas and story swapping to keep us warm, so we headed out to the cars to get into clean, dry clothes. At this point, Brian had the genius idea of heading off to a pub for a hard-earned pint instead of back into the hall. So we did. And by golly did it taste nice! We did get some funny looks from the patrons as we both hobbled in, and answered their curiosity with a brief outline of what the past half a day had entailed. Which resulted in even funnier looks.<br />
<br />
Once home, it was in the bath, finish off my two uneaten slices of gala pie, and then to bed for a couple of hours. A big chippy tea and a pint of Snecklifter and I hit the sack again. A couple of hours in the local Spa on Sunday and I was just about getting back to feeling human, and with my knee/feet/leg/underarm(chafeage)/back pains easing off. Remains to be seen how serious my ITB problem is this time, though the last time it went properly I couldn't bend the knee for a few days, so the fact I could from the day after gives me hope. Fingers crossed.<br />
<br />
Overall this is a fantastic event, with some great organisation, and well supported by the students of Sheffield University; bravely manning the checkpoints scattered across the moors through the darkest hours, and in the freezing cold. Big thanks to them all. I think I would look to do this again, possibly a bit quicker, but definitely with more of a team ethos. For those into this kind of thing, it comes with my huge recommendation. <br />
<br />
Well done to all who made it round, better luck next time to those who didn't. I'm off to put my feet up and wonder why on Earth I chose to put myself through it all...whilst looking up the entries for the 61 mile Fellsman in May!!<br />
<br />
For other accounts of the race see here:<br />
<a href="http://laidbackfellrunner.blogspot.com/2010/03/nuns-from-chinley-hpm.html">Laid Back Fellrunner</a><br />
<a href="http://teacake-kate.blogspot.com/2010/03/high-peak-marathon.html">Tea & Cake</a><br />
<a href="http://donningstudsinmay.blogspot.com/2010/03/rest-of-report.html">Donning Studs in May</a><br />
<a href="http://justusandafewfriends.blogspot.com/2010/03/high-peak-marathon-5-march.html">Just Us and a few friends</a> <br />
<br />
*Each team is given a dibber, which at each CP, and the start/finish is dobbed by putting the dibber into the dobber which results in a bleep. You have therefore been dobbed and can continue running. The person with the dibber, is known as the dobber.<br />
<br />
**Sir Ranulph Fiennes suffered a bad car crash on the way home from this event. Luckily no-one was seriously hurt. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7393515/Sir-Ranulph-Fiennes-dazed-and-bloodied-in-car-crash.html">Report here</a>.</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-66519357422822993362010-03-01T22:30:00.002-08:002023-05-11T03:14:36.543-07:00I'm Going Outside...I May Be Sometime<o:smarttagtype name="Street" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="address" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceType" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Route details: <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/25619170">http://connect.garmin.com/activity/25619170</a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I hadn't particularly intended to write anything special about the <a href="http://garyufm.blogspot.com/2010/03/all-this-way-for-lousy-t-shirt.html" target="_blank">High Peak Marathon</a> recce beforehand. However, the 18 or so miles from <st1:placename w:st="on">Cutthroat</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype> to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snake</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Pass</st1:placetype></st1:place> was such an epic adventure it deserves its own little slice of the blogosphere.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The plan was just a run around the top half of the HPM route, trying to get a feel for the tricky Bleaklow section. There were warning signs from the start that things might get interesting when we first met up at Snake Pass, the we being Team Traversers - myself, Brian, Emma and Andy - Dave the dog, and Clare from Pussycat Trolls (which definitely trumps our team name, but hey, I had no input into that). At this point <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Snake</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Pass</st1:placetype></st1:place> was open, but the snow was falling quite heavily and beginning to settle on the ground. For this reason, of the 3 cars there, we decided to leave Clare's Land Rover Defender as this would stand the best chance of getting back down the hill, so we chucked our warm, dry gear in the back of the Landy, and off we went. This was a good call, as I could only just get my car off the layby and back onto the road at this stage. We then carried on to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Cutthroat</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype></st1:place>, where we met the Ray Mears of the area, Mountain Rescue member, and all round good-egg, Ian of the Dark Peak Fell Runners.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">We got into our waterproof gear straightaway, as it was clear it was going to be pretty wet: at this lower level there was a fairly heavy sleet. So off we headed up Derwent Moors and had quite an enjoyable, uneventful run for the most part, until we reached Howden Edge.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cncgp0D67cHrPHmTFbmtGv1qIIDOrCQrivyWVpcvgCCtwk6ZgVUU_MHpvMhQ_HI_Xsi16BLvafuofgHEodS9NhrYuHCx4Col3reSpgacflbWW34m3dVTwV6SXo-i3eKc-Rf_0vGKmZQP/s1600-h/Me+Running.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cncgp0D67cHrPHmTFbmtGv1qIIDOrCQrivyWVpcvgCCtwk6ZgVUU_MHpvMhQ_HI_Xsi16BLvafuofgHEodS9NhrYuHCx4Col3reSpgacflbWW34m3dVTwV6SXo-i3eKc-Rf_0vGKmZQP/s200/Me+Running.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">The photo on the left is of me running down Sheepfold Clough, if only to offer proof that despite the poor time we completed this recce in, we did try to run.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZF9Xe-EO0Ah3rcPy5JPSOzIrS_Ytt6ebtFmc137DAPDAKUyYAV-BZ8UsUnF3YX2jLPSSeJysyhsijI5kVs7P7y1mn9WVgRV-mlYydnuyVLLkobFNZgWBSY-Ufy0GxWYhk5D2OaQhg0yh/s1600-h/CIMG3145.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZF9Xe-EO0Ah3rcPy5JPSOzIrS_Ytt6ebtFmc137DAPDAKUyYAV-BZ8UsUnF3YX2jLPSSeJysyhsijI5kVs7P7y1mn9WVgRV-mlYydnuyVLLkobFNZgWBSY-Ufy0GxWYhk5D2OaQhg0yh/s200/CIMG3145.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">At the bottom of Sheepfold Clough; some fairly fast moving water, which was wider than it looks on here. We crossed using a one-in-one-out human chain. This really put my GoreTex trousers to the test, and they passed with flying colours. Apart from the chill from the water - which went in the first 20m or so of the hill-climb out of the Clough - I was completely dry (apart from my feet, which took a bit longer to thaw).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">At Howden Edge you are completely exposed and it was at this point we felt the full force of the wind that would give us a good indication of what was to come. The wind was hitting us hard (from the west?) and driving the snow right into our faces. I was still feeling this sensation later that night when I closed my eyes in bed: a tingling right across my eyes, nose and cheeks, exactly like the snow and wind earlier that day.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzam25EjrR1prJ56ZsWc8DLiHbBVkxeBNYXOLxEBY6jZc814vBZhaAVOAq6TWKy3kGqUoa1nVCO4TZJgKN2feZ8flQOr1_tsWHwj3uTftuLbViygJywVHoEERrL56VhHab17AN7IL1AHaW/s1600-h/CIMG3154.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzam25EjrR1prJ56ZsWc8DLiHbBVkxeBNYXOLxEBY6jZc814vBZhaAVOAq6TWKy3kGqUoa1nVCO4TZJgKN2feZ8flQOr1_tsWHwj3uTftuLbViygJywVHoEERrL56VhHab17AN7IL1AHaW/s200/CIMG3154.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">We did find a sheltered spot before getting onto Bleaklow though to bivvy and get some food inside us. A very sensible decision as it turned out, as there was no real opportunity to do this at all later on. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Navigation at this point started to get harder as the horizon – nearer by some considerable margin due to the blizzard - blurred with the sky. Picking out landmarks was nigh on impossible. As we hit Bleaklow it got even worse. This is a notorious section to run across at the best of times. A mixture of featureless wilderness; maze-like groughs; and energy-sapping bogs. However tiring the bogs are though it would surely have been easier than the reality we faced. Snow drifts that very often came above the knee, hidden hollows that you would get lost in up to the waist and have to be hauled out of…all made running tricky. The fact that the last four miles were taken at about 1mph should illustrate this.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqy-9ljRbVBzzfP8CoOTM88aKarrsz8gnehgGA7x-hADt4g-wtwgwuFx553wLJYs2LG9t9F_skkvr2nPj4KGIJ93WwsUBjfDV3_D-3xJCe-MAuNef8PNPRtLQRy2RooEvHG6TfPJYZeBc6/s1600-h/CIMG3158.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqy-9ljRbVBzzfP8CoOTM88aKarrsz8gnehgGA7x-hADt4g-wtwgwuFx553wLJYs2LG9t9F_skkvr2nPj4KGIJ93WwsUBjfDV3_D-3xJCe-MAuNef8PNPRtLQRy2RooEvHG6TfPJYZeBc6/s320/CIMG3158.JPG" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The intrepid crew in the relative shelter of a huge drift on Bleaklow. Note the smiles.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">L-R: Clare, Dave, Emma, Ian, Andy, Brian</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even our local guide ended up getting lost, and finding what should have been an easy run out of Bleaklow via the slabbed Pennine Way took numerous wrong diversions (you’ll see from the route we took we don’t follow the HPM course exactly), and required crossing a fairly steep clough. This wouldn’t have been so tricky at any other time, but with the heavy snow, it had steepened the sides, and made finding a footing difficult. When we finally did find the <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Pennine Way</st1:address></st1:street>, it wasn’t the slabbed path we’d been expecting, but a 2ft layer of snow. So no easy run out. We did eventually slog our way through it to find our way back to the Landy, 7h10m later, exhausted and frozen. (A compass that had been flapping loose round Brian’s neck on the way round was encased in a solid block of ice.)</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZF3z02ey39DdYkTnz9ja1EfaiM4eXngSwO0LdXXmlgtdf_vqSHAG4BjrXm9rD9RzgmrlOxOq0ud_kkSZJ6MmbBS8i3stl5HVLKSnwMk7trBT6Uhkid0fs0AuL4EIj5Y_gk19Nimn3pdKu/s1600-h/CIMG3163.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZF3z02ey39DdYkTnz9ja1EfaiM4eXngSwO0LdXXmlgtdf_vqSHAG4BjrXm9rD9RzgmrlOxOq0ud_kkSZJ6MmbBS8i3stl5HVLKSnwMk7trBT6Uhkid0fs0AuL4EIj5Y_gk19Nimn3pdKu/s200/CIMG3163.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIIHDAhy9vN-7ObG_hAbFLZsFx5GwGGBVL1-CLT7mOTf0x4QVcNEM8sYfy09v1fyzvAh7NIIrr6FM1nlVdw2hXfaZpvgjncj7VXv9L3LlRhlRW59O3sENEneSr4CaaPTrOY2LSE2rFp7J/s1600-h/CIMG3164.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIIHDAhy9vN-7ObG_hAbFLZsFx5GwGGBVL1-CLT7mOTf0x4QVcNEM8sYfy09v1fyzvAh7NIIrr6FM1nlVdw2hXfaZpvgjncj7VXv9L3LlRhlRW59O3sENEneSr4CaaPTrOY2LSE2rFp7J/s200/CIMG3164.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxDfs9Fj9xPtrvFrfGXDatvrrhCu6H22ICFbGfg_FSiOsO39BFlnvlJ0mESehfDmVzgG8mqH8VckcYakEWtKIJoF23-UF4EGUmzTDd5m1IMOTghzZZ12gQSUY1zZS_0KzpLE6q-l-hfgK/s1600-h/CIMG3165.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxDfs9Fj9xPtrvFrfGXDatvrrhCu6H22ICFbGfg_FSiOsO39BFlnvlJ0mESehfDmVzgG8mqH8VckcYakEWtKIJoF23-UF4EGUmzTDd5m1IMOTghzZZ12gQSUY1zZS_0KzpLE6q-l-hfgK/s200/CIMG3165.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Job done: back at the Land Rover at Snake Pass </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">C/wise from top: Me, looking spaced out; Brian, looking, er, reflective; and Andy looking chuffed, and well he might.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span> </span></div><span style="font-size: small;">As we drove back down from Snake Pass, a couple of our number started getting very cold, and by the time we got back to the rest of the cars at Cutthroat Bridge, we nearly had a hypothermia case on our hands. Not even Clare's stash of Bakewell tarts coud help with this! Luckily, with Ian - Mountain Rescue, remember - on hand we were able to take the appropriate steps to look after our comrade, and in a matter of minutes we were sat in the warmth of Ladybower Inn in lots of dry layers, sipping hot chocolate and eating crisps. In conversation with some nearby diners, we explained what we had just done and were met with a mixture of awe and bemusement. When we told them we were doing the same again, only longer, and at night...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Well done to my fellow 'runners' on that day, good luck to the High Peak Marathon-ers on Friday, and to the rest: you just had to be there!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">P.S. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Back home after these type of escapades I get very little sympathy - it's all seen as self-inflicted and very much avoidable. A question I was asked after this particular run, was "why didn't you just turn back?" This got me thinking about why we do this, and why, despite everything, I ended our jaunt with a grin on my face and looking forward to more of the same this coming Friday. I remembered reading this article (below) about the infamous 2008 OMM, and thought it goes part way to explaining it, so I have shared this here for you: </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/the-extreme-world-of-mountain-marathons-975372.html">http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/the-extreme-world-of-mountain-marathons-975372.html</a></span></div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-81305923044558843242010-02-25T04:47:00.000-08:002010-02-25T04:51:08.869-08:00Snow Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Just thought I'd finally get round to adding some of the snow-related pictures taken since Christmas while there's still some on the ground and it is vaguely topical. Would have had more, but on the best day for photos I had in the hills (where the first picture comes from) I left the memory card at home limiting me to 3 pictures. Doh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMO8Cz2M8oLhtMfjjRphQSzf2q4_ADzu93me6frDlotSAS78UCrs5TtKGiKr9hWgsOkbiYus_eHjDvbPasAOgPqNXFfykFV1PJMfNOM_INnOj2irKhqIqcWX2dCxSlI21PpWLmxv7oRy1A/s1600-h/CIMG3041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMO8Cz2M8oLhtMfjjRphQSzf2q4_ADzu93me6frDlotSAS78UCrs5TtKGiKr9hWgsOkbiYus_eHjDvbPasAOgPqNXFfykFV1PJMfNOM_INnOj2irKhqIqcWX2dCxSlI21PpWLmxv7oRy1A/s320/CIMG3041.JPG" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Nearing the top of Pendle from the Downham side - early morning climb</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrX_73VNnzjHM5SN2UuwXG2Xq8a0Zx87YTf6ghG1NKtDYSMbHZFbTN0CjCOwOAMfOMNKTqiY1SzeMXYkxXIGRjybzjseI-LrJKkw7enicWUOorFtvpiu0XeiUYidh8dloLip32hTozMGV5/s1600-h/CIMG3043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrX_73VNnzjHM5SN2UuwXG2Xq8a0Zx87YTf6ghG1NKtDYSMbHZFbTN0CjCOwOAMfOMNKTqiY1SzeMXYkxXIGRjybzjseI-LrJKkw7enicWUOorFtvpiu0XeiUYidh8dloLip32hTozMGV5/s320/CIMG3043.JPG" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Me looking very unsteady on my feet - probably trying to stay on the surface of the snow</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yYEeOvrdgE6m7rOEmL7ZUIdTW8UDe9tcfNLGFPCVVXXl7lLdyQV9jMgtHMcv3911EaSc8pwRiObdi6vpw-2iAsK_uhyphenhyphena6NCKLNq_WUbX9tABPhyKSDi-rB8y9_juhdJhqoQ1S4W2Hf26/s1600-h/0SnowFeet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yYEeOvrdgE6m7rOEmL7ZUIdTW8UDe9tcfNLGFPCVVXXl7lLdyQV9jMgtHMcv3911EaSc8pwRiObdi6vpw-2iAsK_uhyphenhyphena6NCKLNq_WUbX9tABPhyKSDi-rB8y9_juhdJhqoQ1S4W2Hf26/s320/0SnowFeet.jpg" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Snow-bound socks with the beginnings of snow-burn/chafage on my shins</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtnCKbSKehzP_3yIg0gXaU-oOEtTpFCwb-JMD2S4vpJn4V6TTzjSbIk__P8YoGRjfYw_DovmasWwsgIp5EsNrorVHMbTyDuJ9AMVAMKCEQVN9hX-4cmK9lokG-9kxuy4ml3bL_RtFM9EM/s1600-h/IMAG0059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtnCKbSKehzP_3yIg0gXaU-oOEtTpFCwb-JMD2S4vpJn4V6TTzjSbIk__P8YoGRjfYw_DovmasWwsgIp5EsNrorVHMbTyDuJ9AMVAMKCEQVN9hX-4cmK9lokG-9kxuy4ml3bL_RtFM9EM/s320/IMAG0059.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A later picture of my scabby shins - doesn't really do it justice</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTA9a6qtM7b6OahdzulzNmuboM8pk0h0xKxP0onNQ9xKoaJpBVeDVL_wO30AKWwY6IDfpko5JFI5dV4gVn41GhVfBNmm28VkwJtsESMl2l08XYms0Z2EEeJ0dN-jP4IL0zq2G8peuaVr7C/s1600-h/0Cankle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTA9a6qtM7b6OahdzulzNmuboM8pk0h0xKxP0onNQ9xKoaJpBVeDVL_wO30AKWwY6IDfpko5JFI5dV4gVn41GhVfBNmm28VkwJtsESMl2l08XYms0Z2EEeJ0dN-jP4IL0zq2G8peuaVr7C/s320/0Cankle.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">My lovely featureless cankle after turning it numerous times under the surface of the snow.</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-62499748506218805482010-02-19T07:34:00.000-08:002010-02-19T07:34:07.923-08:00A Bit Peaky<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm in!! Luckily 3 runners in a <a href="http://highpeakclub.union.shef.ac.uk/hpm/index.html">High Peak Marathon</a> team got themselves injured or ill. When I say luckily, my thoughts are with them, obviously, but it does mean that with only a few weeks to go, I'm gonna get to have a crack at this event. The proof's <a href="http://highpeakclub.union.shef.ac.uk/hpm/hpm-start2010.pdf">here</a>. We're team no. 24: Traversers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A 42mi run over boggy, featureless wilderness, in a circular route out of Edale. Added to that is the difficulty of starting the race at 11 at night. So all mileage (and more importantly navigation) completed by headtorch-light. Really looking forward to it, and will be a great session to have under my belt given my ultimate aim of a BGR. An added attraction this year is the chance I might be able to speak to Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who is competing in the race with another team. Though whether I will say anything meaningful, or just stare, giggle and jibber like a schoolgirl at a [insert contemporary pop reference here] concert is another matter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Soon after the euphoria had kicked in there was another feeling that started to creep into my mind. Took a while to identify this as panic. As I said in my last post, my training so far this year has been a bit hit and miss. I've since been out with my club on one of their headtorch runs over Pendle and found myself really struggling to keep up, whereas before Christmas, I was holding my own.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So with only 3 and a bit weeks to go between getting in the team and the race starting, I was desperately wondering where I would get my fitness back from. I had another week away with work, which limited the miles I could get under my belt. Had some really good CV sessions (e.g. 40min run/30min bike/20min row) but nothing really compares with hitting the hills for a few miles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With that in mind I did have a couple of runs lined up this weekend. I was doing the 2nd half of the Full Tour of Pendle this morning (10mi, 3000+ft), then doing a route I've contrived called the Pendle Monster: the Pendle Cloughs and Full Tour routes combined (27mi, 7000+ft). So far so good. This morning though, get to Barley for 6, and whilst just listening to the end of a report on the Today program I fell asleep. I awoke 40mins later, still shattered so without having even set foot outside the car I turned around, got home and got back into bed. I reckon the last few weeks of driving and early starts has caught up with me. So I'm having a rethink. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I may yet do the Pendle Monster, but with a 20mi recce of the northern half of the HPM route lined up next Friday, I might just satisfy myself with a few more modest runs, saving the Monster and another target - a Double FTOP - until after the HPM. Will no doubt update on here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kit latest: Looking back over previous posts, I made reference to a decision over a jacket. I plumped for a Rab Momentum jacket made from Event fabric. Very breathable, very light, and keeps me dry. Not soft-shell, as there seems to be a fad for at the moment (these materials just remind me of cheap polyester tracksuits I remember wearing as a kid in the 80s - see 2010 OMM Kamleika), so it does rustle a bit when running, but this doesn't bother me. It's also got a hood that clings to your head like a cap, so it doesn't get blown off in the winds. Very useful this winter on the top of Pendle. Doesn't stow in the jacket when not in use, which is strange, but not a major problem. Absolutely loving it so far - even the mushy pea/baby poo green colour - but a proper review should wait until after the HPM where no doubt it will be thoroughly tested.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before I disappear for now, if there's any missing Ls, it's not because I can't spell, but that particular key is highly strung and decides not to work sometimes.</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-9993230466018672162010-02-08T07:35:00.000-08:002010-02-19T06:14:30.226-08:00Ain't Nothin' Gonna Break-a My Stride...<div style="text-align: justify;">...well except for, er, quite a few things actually.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've not done a lot of running since the last blog entry, and this entry is basically a litany of excuses. (You have been warned!)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It all started [cue dream like flashback with harp playing effects] at the Forum's Xmas On The Fells (XOTF). Was a bitterly cold run towards the end, and I was a bit too slow in putting on my warm gear at the last stop-and-wait-for-the-others point. I then decided to wait and run down with the backmarkers, which meant running a lot slower than I'm comfortable with and so I didn't get my body temperature up again. As a result I was sat in the pub, curry house and finally, the club that night all shaky and shivery. Not only that but my body seemed to take a while to recover from this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other than this what was there? Oh yes: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><ul><li>I missed an opportunity for a couple of decent length runs over the holiday period whilst at the family's, because I forgot my headtorch;</li>
<li>I missed out on quite a few Sunday runs because Pendle was inaccessible (snow on the roads);</li>
<li>Running on the roads as an alternative, or as part of my mid-week training wasn't feasible as the roads/pavements/lanes near me were lethally icy;</li>
<li>Once the snow had gone, weekends were spent decorating our bedroom;</li>
<li>Weekdays were spent mainly away from home - so I've not been to a Tuesday night headtorcher with the club since before Xmas.</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's not all been doom and gloom: between access to Pendle being granted and the snow going completely I was able to hit it a couple of times. Got quite a few pictures which I will get on here at some point. Absolutely loved running in the snow. Such a great training effort required as you go between running on top of icy, crusty snow, and falling through the crust (up to the calf/knee/waist). Ended up with shins totally shredded of skin where the crust took the top layers away on the way in and on the way out of the snow. Also ended up with an impressive cankle where my foot would sink beneath the snow and would turn on whatever bumpy, uneven terrain there was underneath. Brilliant fun!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've been able to salvage something whilst I've been away with work as well. I've been in hotels with gyms so I've been hitting the treadmill (soul destroying, but necessary) and putting together some mad circuits for a total body workout, but really hitting the legs hard with some strength and plyometric work. Using the treadmill as a warm up then destroying myself on the circuits has been oddly satisfying, and a really good alternative to the running, and will probably try and use these more in my training in future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, all of this has meant that the momentum I was building up before Xmas has been lost, and as many of you probably know, it's the first steps back on to a structured programme which are the hardest. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But not to fear. It begins again this week. Tonight a hilly road run with a weighted pack, tomorrow I am around for my club run over Pendle, Thursday I might be hitting Pendle for an early one. A bit further down the line I've put together a big 25mi run round Pendle (Sun 21st Feb), I'm still hoping for a place on a High Peak Marathon team (which to be honest has been a bit of a spur to get out of this funk), and am toying with the idea of a double FTOP in March.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So it all begins again. Bring it on!!</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-80028447227226295412009-12-18T05:44:00.000-08:002010-02-08T07:59:40.993-08:00Papa's Got A Brand New Bag<div style="text-align: justify;">And two new pairs of shoes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Got the OMM Adventure Light 20l for my birthday, a pair of Walsh PB Extremes with my birthday money, and a pair of Adidas Swoops with some money I got from work (some sort of thank you for a job well done type thing).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWI6YUPJgjIv0HIfybbLgxZaL8UG9UWeqZeC1SO6ntvQJ7FIKljU0Eb8DdtvCfuhSCav-6cw9Y6P06rGmCeTiRgA6jsnkDJXt8TVwM99E6trDEa6WF9-MRaf6S1VF-Jn6kTN26pqVlZwxN/s1600-h/Walshes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWI6YUPJgjIv0HIfybbLgxZaL8UG9UWeqZeC1SO6ntvQJ7FIKljU0Eb8DdtvCfuhSCav-6cw9Y6P06rGmCeTiRgA6jsnkDJXt8TVwM99E6trDEa6WF9-MRaf6S1VF-Jn6kTN26pqVlZwxN/s320/Walshes.JPG" /></a>Gave the Walshes a run out the other night on a gentle headtorcher with Kieghley & Craven (KCAC). These are the Extremes, which aren't the usual light blue, they're a charcoal/grey instead. The material is harder wearing than the usual (made from Xymid, apparently). Given that my last pair of shoes (Mountain Bear Fell Dancers) were falling apart on the uppers, I thought I'd opt for these over the regular and more familiar PBs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A very good fit and comfortable to run in. It started off a bit sore around the heel cup, but this soon gave a bit (after about 10 mins running) and especially after the shoe got wet, it almost felt like I had nothing on my feet. It was a relatively flat course, with a couple of fast downhill fields, but nothing too steep to really test the grip on. But I'm already part way to becoming a full-on Walsh convert.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not yet tried the Swoops, but with a weekend in the Lake District coming up in what is looking like some very cold conditions, I reckon I might be better off with these. Will take both anyway and make my mind up on the day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for the bag, I've not really had cause to wear it yet (outside the house, anyway). But again with a cold Lakes weekend, I might over-do the emergency kit I take just to give it a bit of a try. A few extra warm tops, a flask of Bovril, you know the score...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">From what I have tried in the house though, it does feel very snug and stable and I can't see it interfering with my running stride at all. I've yet to properly figure out how to attach the chest pouch I got with it. This was really for the built-in map-case, as I've got my eye on a few long-distance events next year (High Peak Marathon, a couple of mountain marathons, the Fellsman?) and this would certainly come in handy if it works well. I shall report back once I've used in anger.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All I need now is a bivvy bag and a proper waterproof jacket. Currently deciding between the OMM Kamleika, RAB Momentum, Haglofs Oz, and Montane Evolution. With prices ranging from £90-£190, I hope Santa thinks I've been a good boy this year.</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-54556682000305506042009-12-02T02:29:00.000-08:002015-03-26T13:50:15.285-07:00I Want My MP3...Or Do I?<div style="text-align: justify;">
Recently, my MP3 player broke. It won't turn on, so it's a fairly fundamental failing, as far as using it to listen to music goes. Now, this may seem trivial, but it has far-reaching implications.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfLf-SWHX5q_5y_C8gUffHQF1eIHmhz31NmibVAMrH6yXEzATYyG_m0wjqRGDLu6QBlA3eM1xWIQ4ddiAKiIjdEhZNvu1exhDg5ZViidK7l0tGT6H8ZSnamH0zp-wGvNVzeZrjA4Jih5W/s1600-h/0AppleLogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfLf-SWHX5q_5y_C8gUffHQF1eIHmhz31NmibVAMrH6yXEzATYyG_m0wjqRGDLu6QBlA3eM1xWIQ4ddiAKiIjdEhZNvu1exhDg5ZViidK7l0tGT6H8ZSnamH0zp-wGvNVzeZrjA4Jih5W/s200/0AppleLogo.jpg" /></a>For one thing, I now need to compromise my post-Xmas spending on fell-running gear as I divert some of the cash towards a very necessary replacement. It may also be the case that I have to finally relent and give in to the consumer behemoth that is Apple. Having successfully avoided it thus far, because of added compatibility with my car, and the lack of any immediately attractive alternatives I can see myself opting for an iPod.<br />
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However, there may be an unexpected upside to my MP3lessness. This weekend I had a 310 mile journey to Devon to suffer, with a return leg the next day. Obviously of the same length. In the absence of an MP3 player, I had to dig out these strange plastic discs called CDs (pronounced see-dees) to listen to in the car. I thought I'd use this opportunity to dig out a few albums I'd not listened to for a while.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zqqX-gtDLwVDXtODcq1dUyMq0d6jv7Ymj8SzRviEhKheuJNiPsLINkdirevLySb_K0rkesDt90noagAhmuTyb91BZPoRuT1Y11waFZiJwHJ19s4qxc47plqo3Blnbn7lv5t3U5kudDJ0/s1600-h/0MoselyShoals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zqqX-gtDLwVDXtODcq1dUyMq0d6jv7Ymj8SzRviEhKheuJNiPsLINkdirevLySb_K0rkesDt90noagAhmuTyb91BZPoRuT1Y11waFZiJwHJ19s4qxc47plqo3Blnbn7lv5t3U5kudDJ0/s320/0MoselyShoals.jpg" /></a>In amongst some Cure, Radiohead, Suede, GnR, etc. I also found myself brave enough to reach for some albums that fall firmly into the guilty pleasure category. I'm sure you're familiar with the concept of a guilty pleasure when it comes to music. In my case, these were albums I listened to over and over again as a kid, but now can't bring myself to listen to them. A couple of for instances from this weekend's trip was Kula Shaker's K, and Ocean Colour Scene's Mosely Shoals.<br />
<br />
This is strange, as over the years my tastes have matured, and I can see the shortcomings of these albums when stacked against some genuine classics. But at the same time, I'm no longer precious about what constitutes 'real' music, and I can shake my money-maker to Girls Aloud with the best of 'em. These albums, and others like them, are gathering dust between these two extremes: truly great music from a diverse range of genres; and unabashed, inconsequential, pop fluff.<br />
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So I was very surprised about how much I enjoyed listening to these again. Aside from the novelty of listening to a whole album from start to finish rather than relying on the shuffle of my MP3 - which in the case of OK Computer is a spine-tingling experience - I found a whole load of memories flooding back. Mainly blasting these songs out getting ready for my first tentative ventures out after dark, hitting the pubs and clubs of Camden; then tapping my feet to them on the Tube (using my Walkman) in a state of nervous anticipation: would we get in or not? Would I get served or not?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UagjDq9QSLvXM9Xs1D_P_c-v07_7Ic02HMkKYVFptcgrGwR65XwOOkt1Sigk1gDL-SOREveLmh8sOVF83UKisvqKIFszghGUlVWPNZeMWvI3axsdLMoyNgEDaRxp2ie0S7a7jCZQf51G/s1600-h/bbcradio3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UagjDq9QSLvXM9Xs1D_P_c-v07_7Ic02HMkKYVFptcgrGwR65XwOOkt1Sigk1gDL-SOREveLmh8sOVF83UKisvqKIFszghGUlVWPNZeMWvI3axsdLMoyNgEDaRxp2ie0S7a7jCZQf51G/s320/bbcradio3.jpg" /></a>As well as reliving my childhood, I also found myself thinking about how old I'm getting. You see, inbetween the CDs, I was also listening to The Early Music Show on Radio 3 - renaissance period choral music - and a dramatisation of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy on Radio 4. This sandwich between my youth and my premature middle age comes as I'm just a week short of my 30th birthday.<br />
<br />
I'm just wondering if I dare regress any more: before finding my musical feet as a child, I used to really like stuff like Dire Straits, and played Stars by Simply Red constantly. I used to listen to my Dad's Police albums as a kid too. I heard Spirits in the Material World yesterday morning and thought: 'this ain't so bad'. <br />
<br />
Is this okay? Or are these my first steps down the path to being the crazy old person at family dos that will dance to anything (Abba, Grease Medley, etc.) as my discretion goes the same way as my marbles? This is harmless enough, surely? Okay, so it's nothing ground-breaking and there's definitely better out there. But to exclude them completely means missing out on what are - if I'm honest - some fairly decent tunes. From time to time it can't hurt to reacquaint yourself with these old friends. Can it?</div>
GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-65653281511508478022009-11-27T13:26:00.000-08:002009-12-01T07:01:29.515-08:00Viknee Vidi Vici: Tour of Pendle 2009<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/19380712">16.88mi/4,269ft</a><br />
<br />
So, the plan was to get around uninjured? Mission accomplished. Target time of 3h30? Not quite. Here's the full story...<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The night-time race the Wednesday before the Tour, you know, the one I said I was only going to sweep for, to save my niggly knee? Yup, that one. Well, rocked up and as soon as my feet were in my (still wet) shoes, I was overcome by the urge. Went at it at a decent pace. Not quite full tilt, but probably 80-85%. Still didn't stop me being beaten back by a pair of nippers (12 & 13 I think). The fact that they were brothers from a good fell-running bloodline - I forget who, but a previous Tour winner - and that one was the current BOFRA champion did little to salve my injured pride.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, I woke up the next morning facing a long drive and a very tender knee. On the Thursday I was in Birmingham entertaining clients with work and was in a hotel overnight. Got some funny looks checking in with my scaffolding pole and foam roller for some hardcore ITB stretching that evening. At this point I was in two minds about starting the race given last year's fun and games. I started 2008's Tour with a similar niggle and ended up out of action for 9 months. I did resolve though, that if my knee did start playing up, I would sensibly drop out and save my knee.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Overslept on the day, so my slow, easy preparation that I'd planned, as well as tracking down some forumites, went out the window. Did get to the start though, drew my number (250) and found that there'd been a couple of diversions to the usual route due to soil erosion. Post race estimates reckon this added 0.3-0.5mi to the route. Kind of anticipated this from my numerous recces of the route: it was getting very bad underfoot. Diversions were to a new CP1, and from CP3-CP4.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtYuV_sSXDpQ1Vhp-YM_mLEXvr2BVebkInKLB9xdPIbv1Vd0p0QnyKtTSnt_ZJtnCg0a93IsAApDwClIwcnVTr778W-5cjSaUIN_NBaPxkUWix3yipqF7LorsWKwhYxSklCN2wvnGUrxX/s1600/09FTOP1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtYuV_sSXDpQ1Vhp-YM_mLEXvr2BVebkInKLB9xdPIbv1Vd0p0QnyKtTSnt_ZJtnCg0a93IsAApDwClIwcnVTr778W-5cjSaUIN_NBaPxkUWix3yipqF7LorsWKwhYxSklCN2wvnGUrxX/s320/09FTOP1.JPG" /></a>From the start it was the usual melee along the track past the village hall and the lower Ogden Clough reservoir. As the climb started up towards the trig the field started thinning out so we were only 3-4 abreast! (see left). There wasn't any rain at this stage, but there was a mist which reduced visibility and slowly seeped into my clothes. I was soon past the trig and on to where CP1 is usually located to pick up the first diversion. Instead of hitting the wall and turning left, it was over the wall, and follow a path W to a gate where the new CP1 was. Through the gate it was turn S along the wall until hitting the fence at Ogden Clough and picking up the usual route to CP2. The ground after CP1 was very boggy (if you stuck to the path) or very tussocky (if you didn't want to get dirty). <br />
<br />
My plan was to hold back some pace during this first half of the race to keep strong for the more demanding second half. The Tour is a route which is very easy to go at too fast, too soon. It almost invites you to. Despite this, I was able to pick up a few places along this stretch before making a conscious effort to reel it in again after CP2.<br />
<br />
<br />
A gentler run down to CP3 then. At this point I picked up the second diversion. After the checkpoint where the route would normally climb NW to the path to Geronimo we had to take a less-direct N route to hit the path further down. This was a back-breaker of a climb now. Not because of the difficulty, but because it ran right under the overhanging branches of the edge of the woods. According to plan I took on my first bit of food on this climb and had my water bottle out. Took this climb at a modest pace and kept this up until crossing the ladder stile after which I picked the pace up again for the short dash to the joy that is Geronimo.<br />
<br />
Geronimo seems to have acquired a bit of legend in fell-running circles. Personally I love it, but as a descent I'm sure there are longer/steeper/faster... Who knows why? All I know is I found myself at the top in good form, having taken the locals' line far to the right (as you approach) to avoid the muddy diagonal path that most others use. Go far enough right and there's a lovely steep bank of grass and bracken back down into Ogden Clough. My technique was perfected during my recces and having hit the top exactly where I needed to be, I went for it. After cutting in front of another runner, I jumped into the air, landed on my upper thigh...and just slid. In that one slide (about 15m) I took about 4 places. As I neared the bracken - now virtually all dead - I got my studs up ready. I planted them firmly into the mud and it took very little leverage to get upright: a combination of momentum and the steepness of the hill. In this stuff, with the bracken roots holding the mud together you can take sure, steady strides without fear of your feet disappearing out from under you. I then came across the next strip of grass and jumped into the air again, this time landing on my other leg to spread the grass burns. I repeated this all the way down, and by the bottom of the hill I'd taken about a dozen places and had some nicely bloodied knees and thighs to show for it. Great fun!! Despite all the spectators at the bottom of the hill, no-one's caught me in full flight. But it did happen.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwj-F_g8uHuGlz0wPWERkBUjj6i28uM7svn10ai8Ihp7sMT_b6YIbbxX1i34iBm0lAQ1v-tHtKgVp_sedgFtBvbYGYecPQcINbTAkTulGVmXz-UJu5XAgvp0AYubzGx_nqj-PnOu1KwNEL/s1600/09FTOP2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwj-F_g8uHuGlz0wPWERkBUjj6i28uM7svn10ai8Ihp7sMT_b6YIbbxX1i34iBm0lAQ1v-tHtKgVp_sedgFtBvbYGYecPQcINbTAkTulGVmXz-UJu5XAgvp0AYubzGx_nqj-PnOu1KwNEL/s200/09FTOP2.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>I got a drink from the stream, rolled down my under shorts which had ridden up (a must on anything 5mi+ to prevent chafage) and followed the Clough up the hill towards CP5 (see right - climbing out the Clough). The first half out the way I was beginning to feel the benefits of pacing the first half, as I was feeling really good. As we descended down into CP5 I noticed the line of runners in front curving to the left as they followed the trod, only to end up directly in front of me. I just decided to go for it and took the brakes off to fly over the tussocks. This was the best I felt in this race: I was running fast, feeling strong, overtaking runners, a wind in the face...brilliant. Should have known it couldn't last long.<br />
<br />
After chucking my tag in at CP5 I carried on down to the stream, got another drink, and a bit more food. Started the first of the 3 really big climbs up Pendle which make up the back half of the course, at this point still feeling really good, sharing a joke or two with a couple of runners on the way up (as I passed them!). Then, about halfway up, I felt a twinge in my knee. Bugger. I eased off a bit and at the top I had a bit of a poke about and decided to continue, but to reign it in on the climbs. I trotted off slowly towards CP6. Took on a bit more food before descending down to CP7. Did this sat down to rest my knee, which drew a few enquiries from a couple of runners. I assured them I was okay, just nibbling and moments later I was passing them on the way down.<br />
<br />
The second climb was okay. Could feel the knee making noises each time I pushed off on my right leg, but it was manageable. It was only really on the third climb that I struggled, but this is a much steeper scramble. I was beginning to tire at this point too so I did pause a couple of times. At the top a Clayton supporter told me I was on for a 3h30 - my target, but I knew my knee would hinder this. I got it to CP10 and got some flapjack from the 'Trig Hotel'. Bloody impossible to eat running, so lost a couple of places as I struggled to get this down my neck. Once gone though, yet again I was able to pass them over the rough stuff. The recces paid off here as at this height the mist was still down which meant visibility was very poor. After flying down the descent - it still felt quick despite holding back - I got to CP11 and bumped into another runner and forumite who I'd recced the route with beforehand. We'd started together until he took off up the first climb on his own. I'd caught him again and in my mind I was going to beat him back to the finish. Whilst offering every encouragement, of course!<br />
<br />
For the last run in I'd decided to deviate onto the reservoir path round the lower reservoir. The balls of my feet were hurting, and this was softer ground. It was also flatter so I was gambling on it being faster. I'm not too sure how this worked out as there were a couple of heads bobbing up and down on the other side of the wall and they seemed to be moving ahead of me, albeit slowly. When I rejoined the track I was able to take them again on the final 200m or so dash to the line. And as it turned out I'd beaten my mate by a minute or two!<br />
<br />
A wash in the stream, quick dry and change in the boot of the car, and it was into the cabin for a soup, bread roll, bacon butty, and a sweet tea. I milled around for a while to see the presentation. Swapped a few stories with the my clubmates and a couple of other forumites and walked off with my t-shirt; a couple of bottles of rescue ale; 9mins off last year's time - despite deviations; head held high; and a sore knee.<br />
<br />
This last souvenier would have to wait for the next day or so for a full assessment, but that evening I was still moving it, and it was still flexible the next day. After last year's race it wouldn't bend, so this was great news.<br />
<br />
So I missed out on my secondary target of a sub 3h30 time, but I'm still running which was always the priority.<br />
<br />
Next year? Sub 3h15!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Postscript: Someone did capture all the action from the bottom of Geronimo. You can see the results <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ga22fPJXXc">here</a>. I'm on it at 6:04 (orange cag). Unfortunately, this isn't my genius descent, just the gate at the checkpoint.</i><br />
</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-55655430988192391332009-11-17T06:23:00.006-08:002009-11-18T01:32:28.078-08:00Learning My Lines<div style="text-align: justify;">Lessons learned from the <a href="http://www.wharfedaleharriers.org.uk/results09/boulsworth09.pdf" style="color: #000099;">Boulsworth fell race</a> then:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) The benefit of training; &<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) The importance of getting the right line.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the first point, I was absolutely stunned to finish 11th on Sunday's race. The field was small - only 31 - but even so, this is a top third finish. I've never before finished top half in a fell race. The only thing I can put this down to is the number of hours I'm getting on my feet in the hills.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last year I was only training with the club on Tues nights. I lacked the confidence to hit the hills on my own. This year I'm out on my own most weekends for some fairly lengthy runs over Pendle and I reckon it's these that helped on Sunday. Felt really good throughout the race. At one point I was even in 4th place. As the race went on I steadied my pace and was running in a comfortable 10th position all the way to the last CP, with a couple of clubmates behind me (who always beat me).<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2-NdVWBRRt8plVc5TX7GzKGTt1rRJprqnbfooKwXdXo0Ykcl8kb7xNPe-OOcgoLWckRuXWSqE3Ir0GvhkxcHuTEXKxCNJ33FLG8Prh0FIZrUeIEGEkfLJqrqhjN9CdP3KcK95SztqN-k/s1600/Boulsworth+Fell+Race+Route+Map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2-NdVWBRRt8plVc5TX7GzKGTt1rRJprqnbfooKwXdXo0Ykcl8kb7xNPe-OOcgoLWckRuXWSqE3Ir0GvhkxcHuTEXKxCNJ33FLG8Prh0FIZrUeIEGEkfLJqrqhjN9CdP3KcK95SztqN-k/s320/Boulsworth+Fell+Race+Route+Map.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The second lesson was learned after this point. I took a bit of a gamble following a previous recce (which wasn't entirely successful - hit a completely different hill for CP1, but that's another story) that the longer way back through the farmers' fields would be quicker. It seemed more runnable than the direct line over the tussocky moor. However, when I finally got back to the finish - feeling really good - I find that one of my clubmates who was a few seconds behind me at CP3 had finished in 5th position and about 5mins ahead of me.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Given how strong I finished, I reckon I could have got that result if I'd recced and picked the right line.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">C'est la vie. Still chuffed with the overall result. Just hope it bodes well for the Tour of Pendle on Saturday.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Tour has been my target since I finished the race injured last year and spent the subsequent 9 months out of action. I'm determined to put in a good result. I finished 3h45 last yr and would love to break 3h30 this year (secretly aiming for a sub-3h15, but we'll see).<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Decided that my training has been a bit lax of late, relying on the club run and my Sunday jaunts alone to get my fitness up. So thought this week I should put more effort into getting up in the morning and starting my early morning running again. Did that yesterday, a nice gentle 3.6mi followed by some burpees and last night my knee was a bit niggly. Given the Tour's only just around the corner I've decided to bin this idea and focus on stretching this week to ensure the race doesn't break me like it did last year.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Was supposed to do a headtorch race over Pendle on Weds, but I think I'll volunteer as a sweeper instead. Gets me exercising, but will minimise the risk of injury.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the equipment front, I've finally decided on the rucksack that will see me through next year's anticipated Mountain Marathons, and long days in the Lakes: the OMM Adventure Light 20l. I've also opted for the OMM Trio Chest Pouch. I like the idea of the built in map case. I always find myself running round with a laminated map in my hand. Over 15 or so miles, and when you're trying to use your hands to scramble up a steep hill, this is a bit annoying. Plus your hands get sweaty. This has been ordered for my birthday. I will report back once I've had a chance to play about with it!!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, next stop: Tour of Pendle.<br />
</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201568460327289987.post-81768421733432912332009-11-11T04:43:00.000-08:002009-11-18T01:32:55.103-08:00Into the Unknown...<div style="text-align: justify;">Ooh-eck! First entry then. Let's start with an easy update on last night's training run:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/18453340" style="color: #000099;">http://connect.garmin.com/activity/18453340</a><br />
6.22mi/1,982ft<br />
<br />
A run with Clayton up and over Pendle with the headtorches on.<br />
<br />
A beautiful night for it: wind was calm, and was actually very mild. Got quite misty after not a great deal of climbing which made for some fun descending: trying to pick your footfall at the last minute as the terrain comes into view.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, I went down a couple of times. On the north side of Pendle (on the line to CP9 on the Full Tour) I lost footing and slid quite hard and fast into a rock. Luckily my knee broke my slide. Made for a painful climb back up the walkers' path from Downham to the top again. Shook it off over the next descent though and apart from a couple more tumbles on the walkers' path down from the top - proper rolls where as I came through the mist there wasn't ground where I thought there would be - the rest of the run was without incident.<br />
<br />
I've had a recent cold/flu thing which seems to be abating. Really felt this on a recce of the Boulsworth race route on Sunday, with difficulty breathing all the way round. On last night's run though, I felt much stronger, despite a continual cough which was getting on the nerves of the rest of the club. Once we were back to the pub car park I couldn't stop coughing, but this morning feel much better.<br />
<br />
Just what the doctor ordered then.<br />
</div>GaryUFMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17151581237815711847noreply@blogger.com0