Wirksworth Incline 21st March

Not posted for a few weeks, work and general life has been pressing,

Last race was the Wirksworth Incline, again a well organised race, with the usual suspects attending, fast and furious not really my ideal race, 4 miles, 2 miles up, 2 miles down, turn around trig point, simples.......

I made my way across with Stephen Shaw, who has been running since this time last year, he again had a cracking run, beating his time from last year by at least 3 mins,

Saw lots of new and old friends at this race Stephen Burt who was their with his work colleague and MM friend Ray, a few old friends from Shelton Striders Carolyn Lee and Chris Hopkinson, and Stuart L,

Ran a good solid steady race, and managed to sneak inside the 40 mins, 38.11 from memory, which for a plodder is not a bag crack really,

Mug in hand with tea applied, waited for the presentation, Stuart Bond just missed his record to win,

A great way to spend a morning with like minded folk!

What's it all for........

Ever had that thought in the back of your mind, "whats it all for" a little down in the dumps!

I have been covering the miles and feet of ascent constantly, week in week out, since November so since completing the Grindleford i have taken a well earned rest.

having to re-charge the batteries and also refocus the mind,

I have been going out a feeling as though i was just going through the motions and i have seemed to lost that keenness to dig in and grind it out,

The Wirksworth Incline is on Sunday so i will be wanting to beat my time from last year of 40.21, which to be honest is a real plod!

The plan when i took this 4 day break was to just chill, walk the dog and thats about it, which is what i have done since Saturday,

Because of this, i seem to have become tired, and lethargic, has anybody else felt this?

Or is it because i am eating the same but not burning it off, i would say this is the case,

I have a fast session planned for Thursday night consisting of the following;-

1 mile jog out, steady just warm up, then stretch
Have a hill that's about .5 mile long - start dash up this at 80%
Then plod back down to recover
Do this for 4 times
Plod back down, stretch
Steady home for a mile

Will see if that gets me knees moving faster

Oh! and the weather is changing........

Grindleford Gallop 13th March

After two recces, i arrived in Grindleford to take part in the GrindleFord Gallop 21 miles, of fell running, after leaving a sunny Derby to find it overcast with a chilly wind,



The car parking field seemed to be filling up quite quickly and you could see the walkers getting off across the first couple of fields,

9.10am and 50 mins until we, Steve Shaw and myself galloped around the 21 miles of the Grindleford race,




After registering and checking dibbers we brewed up, and stretched, also saw a few runners from other clubs from around the country, which is always nice see old friends and remember old races,


I am a plodder and will always be a plodder, after doing a recce around this beautiful course, felt that a sub 4 hr race would or should be a possibility,

As the field lined up i could remember how narrow the first 4 mile was, small gaps etc, and narrow paths so was expecting a stop start affair during these early stages,

On the line saw quite a few faces that i had not seen in a while, Colin from Long Eaton and Stuart Learmouth from Dark Peak, nice to catch up,

The start and up until the second check point didnt go according to plan, i seemed to get really bad crap in my lower back and marched up the first climb, not a good start but managed to shake it off before arriving at Eyam, i must say that even though there was a large field of runner the dibbers and marshals were great,

I was running with Steve Shaw, who at this stage would have been gone, long gone, but we agreed to trot this one as a team, i felt as though i was holding him back, good mate, as he stayed with me,

A tough climb around Great Longstone moor, love that part of the race,

Then came the slog along the Monsal Trail, a real grind it out section, flat followed by a tough little reminder up to CP5 on a gatepost, unmanned, maybe next year this could do with a marshal as from the results, it seems to have caused a few issues,

The next 4 miles are easy going which is good because i needed it, through Edensor and then through Chatsworth, dodging the Sunday walkers, through the kissing gate and then cake, and tea, as me and Steve agreed, we ain't gonna win it so lets have some cake......

The atmosphere for the climb up to eagle rock out of Baslow was great, its a tough climb, on the road section then up to Eagle Rock, from here on in it a ridge trot, across the baslow edge, drop down Curbar gap , then back onto the Edge,

At this point i suggested that Steve should plod on to try ad crack the 4 hr mark, he stayed with me until the road crossing at Frogatt,

really enjoyed the last blast through the woodland at the bottom, reached the unmade road and my legs went to jelly, and i managed to run? jog? stumble to the finish,

Finished in 4 hrs 3 mins 22 secs, so missed the 4 hr mark,

A must say that it was a great race, i enjoyed it, and the company around the route,

Soup, tea, cake and chat about the run was also great....

Sandstone Trail - 27th February

The Sandstone Trail

Planned this for some time, previously lived in Nantwich so wanted to do this,

Dad walked it last year and suggested i gave it a crack, so reviewed the route,



Splits nicely into three sections each approx 12 miles each,

North section - "Frodsham - Willington"

Central Section - "Willington - Bickerton"

Southern Section - "Bickerton - Whitchurch"

After some careful final planning around tow other longish events, Grindleford 21 miler and Wilmot Wander 32 miler i decided in the 27th February,

Arrived late to my folks house on the friday night after what can only be described as a hard mental week at work, managed to get some runs in to taper down but on each one felt knackered but mentally not physically,

Got up at 5.30am - had big bowl of pre long race granola and fruit etc,

As i had arranged to have a support, Dad drove me to Frodsham for a 7am start, it seemed after a really wet week that the weather would be kind, just unsure how it woudl be through the next 36 miles,

First section out of Frodsham was tough early pain from a hard push up onto the ridge overlooking the estuary into Liverpool, i could see Runcorn and a great view back down towards Frodsham,



The idea was to work to the schedule that i had given my Dad, he would meet me at set places with a general shout of support or a scheduled stop for rest up to 5 mins and food - testing some BG foods (soup, Cornish pastie, ravioli) and a drink warm if possible,

After the first 5 miles i arrived at the first stop and was running 5 mins ahead of schedule, the going was tough for the first section, sandstone ridge, Dad said i looked white but i had pushed hard wanting to keep the schedule alive, not even starting to break the back of the total distance yet to be covered but, ensuring that i was pushing as hard as i could.



Second section seemed to be easier, i just got my head down and focused on reaching the next goal, from doing the longer distances i think its easier to break it down mentally, 6 x 6 mile chunks, and when that one is done, its focus on the next one, works for me,

Met Dad, at the next stop and was 15 mins up, and ready for some food, so had soup, and then pushed on, had an 8 min break at that stop, so was always getting along with the tiem and distance well,

Enjoy running like this so much, on your own taking it all in, noticing little things, Buzzards, Hares and a lot of Pewits, or Lapwings depending where you are from, nothing beats running the hills on your own, or with your dog,

More to follow,

Leg's that just don't seem to recover

Unsure if it's down to the amount of training i have done,

A good friend of mine Nick Cable, said that your legs can take 10 time more than you think,

But this week, i really can't see that, but then when i look at the miles i have done in the last 4 weeks over the time taken and ft of ascent, then maybe......

151 miles
34,297ft
at an average pace of 12.35min miles

That might explain it.

its calf pain, just constant aching, and stiffness,

Weekend Training - 13th/14th February

Well, that's what i call a weekends workout,

Saturday start early with hill reps, found a hill not to far away from home,

Its part of the Wilmot Wander route, cross the main road nr the back of Quarndon, and up the hill,

I have found a section that is not to steep to start with, but then just creeps up on you,

Started in the dark at 6.45am, and pushed hard up hill keeping at least 18.30 min mile pace and then for the downhills,

These i took at 7.20's so really punished the quads,

I had been doing this for 1 hr 15 mins when i reached the top of the climb to find a dog and a runner, nutter, must be like me i thought, and he was Stephen Burt, somebody that follows my blog, strange but true, had a natter then we went on our own separate ways,

(Stephen is competing in the DarkWhite Mini MM's this next weekend so good look for that, and see you soon! Drop me a line to let me know how you get on.....)

Managed a total of 6 miles and 2000ft of ascent, in 1hr 30 mins, good solid BGR times



Sunday, well that was a whole new world, agreed to run a route that i have run a few times before, starting at the water tower on Radbourne lane, across the Vickerwood estate towards Allestree Water Tower, then follow the Wilmot route in reverse until you reach the a split in the footpath, take the left towards Holbrook, four sharp descents and climbs later we returned to the split,

This is a tough little route covering 18 plus miles and 4650ft, covered in 3hrs 44 mins.

Total for the weekend 24 miles/6650ft -

My legs today feel like tenderised meat, its not pleasant.

Grindleford Recce - 31st January

Woke up, got ready, had granola, nuts and fruit breakfast, and pint of Water.

Defrosted the car, picked Steve up and drove to Bakewell,

Parked car in Bakewell nr the Monsal Trail at 6.35am,

Warmed up, checked map, put head torch on and off,

We had arranged to run the complete ruote of the Grindleford Gallop, 21 miles, but decided to start at the Monsal Trail checkpoint,

www.grindlefordgallop.co.uk/

The weather was cold, sharp frost overnight, and the ground hard underfoot,

First leg went really well, knocking 30 mins of previous recce, it helps when you don't have to check the map so much,



Through Baslow and up from the Village onto Balsow Edge, past Eagle Rock and along the ridge until we dropped down to then go back up to Curbar Edge then onto Frogatt Edge.



The run across Frogatt was great, great views and you could see the cold mist in the valley, so many photographers out trying to get that special sunrise shot over the edge.

From the end of the edge dropped down and then made our way on a bit of the route i have never ran, straight after Eyam, a lane, green lane, that was so icy, the ice must have been 2 inches thick in places, a real wind tunnel bitter wind,

Then across to the climb up Longstone More, two, three, four, five stiles, one of which didn't even have a fence either side, a real push until the top of the moor,

A really rocky descent down into Great Longstone, and then pick the Monsal Trail up,

At this point Steve seemed a little rocky, i think he needed fuel so pushed some into his face and then plodded down the Monsal trail,

Finished in 4hr 34min, great effort, tired but not broken, covered the 21 miles and 4,345ft.

I think on the day of the race, if paced properly might be able to crack 4 hrs.

Stephen Shaw