The Reindeer Romp Relays

There was a massive turnout tonight, with 37 teams taking part , it was also a new course due to rd works , as always a fast start down the track then right on the road as the left turn past the farm house was closed ] i thought we were doing it in reverse but we did a left into a corn field which brought us out on the rutted path just before the wooded section up to this point i was running well [my little legs were going so fast they were in front of me] with the relay you miss the hill out taking a left round the edge of another corn field though its not as steep as normal its quite a pull my lungs were fit to burst I'm sure" my team was Oliver carter leg 1 14.42, new girl sue pimley just over 16 mins leg 2, with myself leg 3 15.12 mick Howard ran well in just over 14 mins , I prefer this new course its more runnable

Sedbergh Hills

Hi readers good to have a report for you, this race is very tough and the weather didn't help. With lashings of rain and wind, a race of 14 miles with 6000ft ascent and navigation. Sunday started with the wait for transport and having to endure Roberts driving with him unable to see further than his speedometer and he can talk for England, still a ride is a ride As we passed through Ingleton the rain started and the mist came in .This race is an English champs so there were plenty of runners hoping to do well. We (that is Steven Hemingway, Mark, Robert, Naz and myself) set off into the mist a short bit on the road and then up hill to Arant Haw at 600ft then left down to Chapel Beck at this point you climb up to Castle Knotts with a long contour round Brown Moor and Fellhead. By this stage I was completely done in and feasting on gels when Steve passed me going like a steam engine, still running when every body else was walking (I swear he is not human and mountain goat comes to mind) Past check point 3 you climb up to Docker Knot at 530ft then down to the river for a good soaking and up to Simon's seat at 585ft and 1/2 way. This was when I checked with my watch and realised that I was doing about 4 miles per hour, just above walking speed, and it was going to be a long day. The next hill was going to be a struggle as we had to get up the calf at 676 ft so I thought i would just enjoy it wet through and hungry. Once you get to Rig Top at 675 and Calder's at 674ft it could be said that it is all down hill from there. The descent from Winder is very steep and takes it out of your quads. The finish is always in sight as you drift down hill in a daze. The car park is like an oasis with drinks and a welcoming smile from Robert who got timed out at the first check point. Steven H finished 1st in three hours 15 myself in 3:45, and the winners time was 2h 20min. We had a long wait for Mark who took a wrong turn adding 20 min's to his time but Naz came in having completed the course in 5 hours plus.

Darwen Gala Fell Race - back in action!

Darwen Gala Fell Race AS, 3.7m/930ft

Like Steve Moss, I've been struggling with motivation for a couple of months. In my case, it's been mainly due to work-related issues, but the effect has been the same, I just haven't been running! I found that whenever I tried, I just didn't have the mental capacity to "override" when the training got tough, and without that, there's little point in bothering. However, I did get out on a training run earlier in the week whilst in Wales on holiday, and found myself enjoying it, for all the right reasons. So when Saturday came, and it was time to go to Darwen for round 5 of the English Junior Fell Championship series, I was a little less apprehensive about entering the senior race and beginning my latest "comeback"

After a week in Wales where the weather was windy and pretty gloomy most days, it was a pleasant surprise to be blessed with glorious sunshine. Although this was described as a category A fell race, in my book it could only be described as a trail race at best, all runnable. Not really my sort of course, as I prefer some tough terrain to slow down the faster runners and give me more opportunity to play on my strengths. But since I'd done almost zero training for the last 4 or 5 weeks, I didn't have any high expectations in any case.

A steady climb through the Bold Venture Park, took us up the summit at Darwen Tower, then dropping back down to loop around Darwen Moor, then climbing again before dropping back down through the park to the finish. A pretty uneventful race except for me tripping on the moor, and almost unbelivably falling face first into one of the very few muddy pools on the course (at least it was soft!). I was pleased to finish ahead of some of the runners who have been round and about me earlier in the season, although some were definitely closer to me than they would have been a few months back.

My time - unofficially 31:17, and I'm glad to be back!



Those are not black eyes, it's mud!

400m?

Well, i have accidentally discovered i may be a 400m runner!

Having competed in a sprint triathlon recently, i had no option but to run a 400! I came away with a time of 51.3. With no prior training for 400m, i am pretty sure that a decent time can be achieved.

I then raced in the last Northern league meeting at spenborough and achieved a time of 50.9 almost 3 seconds ahead of second place!

So, i now have a new target to aim for... below 50 seconds!

I have two opportunities to run this time. One at Gateshead (22nd august) in the Tartan games, and the other at the West Yorkshire League championships (6th september).

I will have to seriously reconsider my training for next season if i see myself as a 400m runner!

The saddleworth 6

After a phone call from James asking if I was doing the race(which I had forgotten about) and wondered if I should or should not, due to the fact I had done a track session of 5x1500 the previous night and the fact that I have an head injury. Well it was either a 10 mile run or a 6 mile race. So I found myself on the start line. This race is two laps with a hilly section between 1-2miles and 3-4 other than that it felt flat and fast. The conditions were warm and humid. I set off at a steady pace or so I thought but got off to the first mile in 7.10 minutes with my legs feeling like two led weights and wondering what I was doing struggling up the hill. Though its not what I call a proper, when it's just a pull really, I missed the second mile marker, got to mile 3 in 22.50 so I was quite pleased and now I was starting to feel better and I actually felt better on the hill the second lap and caught up and passed four runners that had passed me on the hill the first lap. Fourth mile is just around the bend at the top and that was 30.32 felling ok and encouraging Mel Sykes to stick with me and to work together to try and catch Geoff Taylor, although we had picked up the pace I was not impressed to see 38 and a half minuets on my watch at five mile, and then I realised that last years time 44.47 wasn't achievable. But with Geoff getting closer and Mel right behind me I kept trying, that last mile always seems a long one, didn't pass Geoff but finished right behind him in 45.58. On reflection, poor time. But half a stone heavier and a track session...I think I did well. After a couple of days rest I'll be ready for the 22 mile planned for Sunday. Jackie Carter P.S. Is the hard work paying off? I'm not sure yet but I will keep you updated on that after the marathon. The lucazade caffeine boost drink I took an hour before the race does work as I was still up at two am, and I felt I could have gone for a run then so maybe I should have drank it at lunchtime. P.P.S. Oh a nice surprise was that I've got 2nd v45 prize.

Hyde Park 5K #2 2009

After a bit of gentle persuasion from Tim (or it may have been me persuading Tim?), decided to have a go at the 2nd Hyde Park 5K. My training seemed to have stagnated a bit so I thought this might be a bit of a test to tell me how well my recovery was going. The weather was nigh on perfect - warm, humid and still. As I arrived I met up with the ex Spen stalwart Steve Carter and we warmed up together. He's recently had a minor operation and wasn't sure what sort of shape he was in but there were several of his new colleagues from Keighley & Craven running. They were using the race as a time trial for selections for the Yorkshire Vets relay in September so he was obviously hoping for the best.

The first 1K is mostly down hill and I got off to a good start clocking 3-33. Not sure if its just me but when I do this the cup always looks half full. Rather than think I might have gone off too quick I thought that I must be feeling good and on for a good time. I've run this race quite a few times and I always play this silly game with myself. Its a 3 lap course and I always tell myself its only 2. Don't ask me why, but I always do it. By the end of the second lap I was flagging but consistently running 4 minute Ks. The 3rd lap was a real struggle and I had to work really hard to keep going. It did cross my mind to walk for a bit which I know is ridiculous but these were the negative thoughts I was fighting. I persevered and eventually got onto the flat run in for the last few hundred yards to the finish. One of the marshalls then shouted "come on Spen, they are all catching you" but I had nothing left for the "sprint" finish. 5 yards from the line someone overtook me and I was bit dismayed to see it was Steve Carter. From all his time at Spen, one of the many virtues Steve may of had, you would not have put sprint finishing amongst them!

Well done Steve, must be all that altitude training at Keighley paying off.

I finished in 19-34 which is ~15 seconds slower than my best Esholt time this year. Everyone is quick to tell me how much harder the Hyde Parks are vs Esholt so I'm prepared to believe this and convince myself I'm making progress.


PS I can't fault the new sponsors of this race, its not every race you get a bottle of beer for finishing.

PPS I haven't seen the results yet but I don't think any juniors beat me.

Round Hill

Round Hill Fell Race CM, 9m/1100ft

Hi folks, seems along time since I did any blogging or running, but after the poor do at the LAMM I felt a little down (most people who know me might be a little surprised) But after a good Saunders, coming third vets team with a great partner, it was time to rethink why I actually did run. I came to the conclusion (that most of you know) that I am just a pot chaser and that is what motivates me. To run and not improve on the last outing can be quite demoralising, so with that in mind I set about retiring from this mad round- about. Just fancy not running round the streets half naked and getting wet through and cold and instead having time to read and laze about at tea time. What's that? It's the telephone! "Hi Paul - what can I do for you?" "We are doing the round hill on Sunday and we thought you might want to come along"

Well 8-45 and I was waiting to get going. Race start 11:00. 1/2 mile to start, good field of about 145-160 runners. This is one of those moorland runs of 9 miles 1200ft and quite runnable (so I was told at the start). Off we went with Naz in is best position of the day, at the front with the rest of us behind (Hemmingway, Paul Hoodless and Robert) The start is track for about the first 1 1/2 miles leading out to some of the boggiest grass and heather I have seen for a long time. Having passed Naz in the first 10 metres it was time to concentrate on running steady, as I had not trained for two weeks (and boy did I feel it later as we clambered up to the top of the hill) The downhill was great, I felt free and it reminded me of another reason for running! As the course wore on more & more reasons came to mind for doing this sport, so to all those out there who need some inspiration to run again I say "JUST GO DO IT"! My time was 1h 20 with Steven Hemingway next, then Paul both within 5 min of my time. Robert managed to pass Naz as well leaving him to bring up thr rear. sorry about some of the missing letters but my keyboard keeps obliterating them.