21 years of the Grouse!

Did this race last year, great race, great people,

A real slog up the hill from the Famous Grouse pub, noted as 5m/1200ft in the Calendar,

With snow sitting on the hill and roofs around Derby, i set off with a slippery start down the street, main roads clear, and was soon hitting Ashbourne, the temperature dropped and my breath was freezing on the inside of the windscreen, even with the heater on full chat! After speaking to Daz Holloway after the race he said it read -16 on his temp gauge, something i don't have in the old Toyota



A cold day in Hafield



Tough climb up to the TV mast and New Allotments. Just in the background of this shot wearing 490.

A great race, not as good as last year, footing was tough, but again the cold air caught me out.

Mathew Walker Christmas Pudding 10k

I have done this for the last few years, really cold wind, but still had the vest on!

Great little 10k around Shipley Country park, a fast blast and then a gradual climb up the road, then a left into the park, undulating unmade road, then climb to finish,



Not a real favorite but a great 10k blast and it gets rid of the cobwebs at least.

Oh and we have a Edna May for Christmas Day!!

BGR - Week 1 - Training Plan?

Just putting the final touches to a BGR training plan that will take me to May/June next year.

The first few weeks are as follows..... any thoughts?

Week 1

Monday Weight Training / 4 Miles - DONE
Tuesday Weight Training / 8 Miles - DONE
Wednesday Weight Training / 4 Miles - DONE
Thursday Rest or Swimming- R& R all the way - DONE
Friday Weight Training / 8 Miles - DONE
Saturday R&R / - Done- DONE
Sunday Long fartlek 2 hrs - Race if appropriate

Will repeat this for week 2,

Any feedback on Feet of ascent etc, read so much but i think you need to plan and go as you feel fit for the first 2 months to get to a level of general strength and endurance.

Leg It Round Lathkil - 14th November 7.1mile/950ft

Never done this one before, and to be honest had planned to do the Roaches.

Arrived in plenty of time and saw quite a few faces that i know.

The race billed as a BM 7,1mile/950ft race seemed from the map to be a long slog down the river. Starting and finishing from the Lathkil Hotel, and part of their Children In Need activity.

A real steady start, but after looking at the garmin realised that 7.30's is a little to fast for me, and i soon felt it, Claire Lily and the new arrival Oliver also made the trip to give me a little support.





The last climbs and fields really did ask a lot of my legs, managed to have a final push and pass two or three as i made my way up to the finish. Pleased with the result.

Noton Barn - Trig Point TP5191

Nice and easy really, hop over gate, trot up to it and done,



Easy one to find just off the road and bridleway. Nice views all round. TP in good condition but is getting a bit green and slimey. Could do with a new coat of paint.

Elton Common - Trig Point TP3057

A great find, quick jump over a 5 bar gate and then across the fields, Nice white painted pillar, but a pity the flush bracket has been painted over too. Pleasant views of surrounding area.

Bole Hill - Trig Point TP1521

This one was a real tricky find, tucked in behind a Derbyshire Stone Wall, off the beaten track and happy to have found it, a real slog as i had just completed Leg It Round Lathkill.




After i had found this, i made my way back down the footpath, and found six folks who could have not been more lost. They must have been 8 miles off course, and they had a map, strange but true, i put them right and made sure that they had a plan to get back on route, marked their map and walked to the next major turn with them, how amazing is it to find folks who have no idea wandering around Derbyshire.

Hopping Top - Trig Point TP4015

Took part in Leg it Round Lathkill and managed to get this one done before setting off back home. Lily also did this one with me, her first Trig Point Bagged! Bless her.

Crich Mount - Trig Point TP2588

Managed to bag this one, just before a meeting with Crich Tramway Museum.

Some great views........

Warton Cragg - Trig Point TP6761

Ran to this one from Pine Lakes resort, what a great view along the coast, there was a crows nest, which i decided not to climb up,

met a local fella who said he had walked up nearly every day of his life...... he also said that "some folk in the village have never been up here" their loss, what a great little find.

You can also see Blackpool Tower and the Welsh Mountains from this point on a crystal clear day.

Arnside Knott - Trig Point TP0889

Double rainbow over Arnside - really moody day!

I have had a few days away last week, we stopped at Pine Lake which is just off the M6 jct 35, a great place to stop if you get the chance, great access to the fells and pool, jacuzzi, sauna et all when you need to chillax,

While i was their, i decided to tick off a local trig or two, some great family planning and i fitted then in,

First off was Arnside Knott - a great climb and trot from Arnside, a lot of road at first but when you get off the road it does test you a real climb, which i would liken to Thorpe Cloud, but only twice a long. the views... stunning!




View across Arnside - Towards the Lakes

Training well my dear!

Not posted for a while and have had so much on...

I started my own business, marketing and brand advice, building websites, designing logo's and training companies how to use Social Media in their marketing mix, all going well to be honest... in fact really well. Company is called DE22 Creative Design Solutions - www.de22.co.uk

Training is going well, i have been building up on distance again, and have been getting picked up by a friend and fellow DarkPeaker Steve Shaw. He picks me up around 7.20ish and i get a lift to his work in Horsley Woodhouse, from here i have a 12 mile trot which takes in a lot of the Wilmorton Wander route

essentially i pick the route up at Drum Hill - SK 37521 42129




From here i follow the most obvious route to the next trig which is Stitteridge Wood - SK 31239 36851



When i get here i turn round and head back towards Markeaton Park and across to home,

All in all it's a good trot with approx 2600ft of climb, and at the mo i am doing this three time a week.