Blimey, didn't realise I'd been away so long!

Well June's been & gone and the three wise monkeys (see previous photo) have long returned from their sojourn to the south coast. A jolly time was had by all with some interesting places visited, lovely weather, catching up with rellies and copious food & drink. I managed not to have a nervous breakdown or fall out with the pensioners which is always a bonus when you're on holiday!


Yours truly arrived back home in time to take part in the gruelling 24k Garburn Trail which was promptly reduced to 16k because of the imminent arrival of snow, in June, really. It turned out not to be the disaster it first appeared and was still quite a good tester.
A chance conversation then led to an entry in a LDWA event, The Three Rings of Shap, which I can thoroughly recommend. One ring was enough for me being 18miles long, but cake & pizza at the halfway stage and rhubarb crumble with custard at the end, this is the sort of event for me!!




Little dog on Great Mell Fell, yes, she's still going strong & looking cute as ever.



Next up was the Langstrath race, a new for me. Only 4.5 miles but run in the heat of a late June evening & what a heat it was, I don't remember sweating that much for a very long time. Maybe it was the high speed trip from work to get there in time or maybe just not quite fit enough, I wonder which one? It was a tough little race but one to look forward to next year, especially now that I know the route!

In between times, there's been a lot of running going on in anticipation of the Old Crown Round on the 25th July, 22 miles 8000' of ascent, it's going to be a grueller. Hopefully there will be a squad of us from Eden Runners to egg each other on and of course there is the beer to look forward to at the end.

Oh, and I have a new girlfriend, so life's sweet again.

It'll be me one day!

At last the nightshifts are over & the hard work begins in earnest. This week, (as they say), I am mainly repeating everything twice, talking louder than normal & walking at half speed, eating my meals at odd times of the day & practising the art of budhism to have patience beyond measure. In short, I'm on holiday with my parents. Holiday is perhaps not the right word for the experience but to prevent censorship it's what I'll use to describe it. Bless 'em, don't get me wrong, I love them dearly but....it's too hot ( well the sun's shining ), where are we going to eat (there are any number of places what do you fancy), what time are you picking us up (when you're ready), I don't need the toilet (in reply to 'do you want a cup of tea') etc etc.
On the bright side, the weather is brilliant & my brother is getting a taste of what it's like living near them all the time. Only 5 more days to go....

To Hel(velyn) & back.

If I could come up with such whacky ideas for saving the planet as I do for my social life I'd probably be rich & famous by now, viz... finish 12hr nightshift then go & do Helvelyn Fell Race then go back to work for 12hr nightshift!
It's certainly been a month for new experiences, 1st time up Skiddaw by Longside Edge, 1st time mountain biking at Whinlatter, trip to the North coast of Scotland (Tongue & Durness), finding out your heart can be broken more than once & 1st time for the Helvelyn race.

It was too good a day to be wasted in bed, so an early up & down to Bram Crag Farm saw quite a crowd gathered for what promised to be a spectacular day on the hill.

While my last entry talked about the journey, today was definitely about the destination.

An incredibly steep start took us up Calf Crag & views of the route laid out before us to the summit of Helvelyn.

Strangely I managed to remember to take my camera as you can see, but the pictures do not do justice to the torture I put my body through to get there & back. At least this time I got to the half way point before the 1st finisher had crossed the line (hopefully!).

Anyway, it's done now, slightly quicker than I'd estimated & yes I will be back next year.Next race Garburn Trail, should be a doddle by comparison. As for nightshift, at least my legs won't get a chance to stiffen up!

Another year gone.

Looks like a big depression sitting over Carlisle today, which makes sense as its the last day of my holiday & it's back to work tonight.
The reason for this time off was a big bike trip to the north of Scotland, it turned out to be 850 miles in 3 days, no wonder my backside was sore.
In a previous life I was never a 'biker', it's only 3 years since I passed my test & is one of only a few regrets in my life. It's one of those I wish I'd done it sooner things, or maybe not. Perhaps it's the being older & wiser & able to enjoy it for what it is now that makes it such good fun.
Like life, the bike is about the journey not the destination & this journey took me to places of unimaginable beauty & remoteness without having to leave the Britsh Isles. On the way it was my birthday, another year cheating the grim reaper but returning with another head full of memories.

Where have all the peeps gone?

Having only fitted in a run along the river to Dalston & back since Lords Seat, I thought it time I did something else while I was off work. I've walked in the Lakes on & off for 30 years or so ( I started young, ok ), but had never been up Longside Edge as a way to get onto Skiddaw. This runs parallel to Bass Lake & looks quite spectacular from the north when you can look right along the length of it.

My aim was to run the route but it turned into more of a battle against the wind than a run with moments of airborne excitement with some of the gusts on the top. The most amazing thing apart from the views, was the complete lack of other people out on the hill. It was not until I was nearly back at the car that I met anyone else!

This is the view back along from the summit at 1030 in the morning, where are all the peeps?!
So an excellent trip out followed up by a walk round the river in the sunshine with the little dog. She decided not to bother with the big hill, good sleeping time wasted in her opinion.
To finish the day off a trip back to Keswick in the evening on the bike to do the Latrigg Fell race, not one I've done before & much harder than the 3miles 950ft would indicate. This was mainly due to everyone sprinting off at high speed at the start & muggins here trying to keep up. It didn't take long for me to drop to my usual plod & getting past by the usual people. A big thank you to Jo from Keswick for her encouraging words during the race & the other Keswick girl cheering people in at the end whose name I didn't catch and Jan whose encouragement is always welcome. A time of just over 27 minutes was more than satisfying considering & definately one to do again next year.

Racing Slicks

Well it turned out to be a poor personal showing at Lord's Seat from yours truly. The first summit, aptly named Barf, nearly saw me do just that after getting a stitch early on. Having never suffered one before in a race, it left me in agony on the descent & I never really got going. So that was that, no pb this time but there's always next year.
At least the weather is improving, a couple of good runs out on the bike already under my belt in preparation for the weekend away in Scotland. Other excitement was a brief email flirtation with a lovely local lass but love's not on the horizon, so life's back singular normality, well almost normality. The Little Dog (who's been quiet recently on this blog) has been for a haircut to rival her master, i.e. back to the wood, & now looks like a slick racing version of a spaniel! I've tried to get her picture to publish but she's not having it. If only I could get her move as quick when we're out for a walk....

Full Circle

Having run my 3rd Puma Hawkshead Trail Race in a personal best time,it occurred to me that it's a little while now since I started doing this off road running lark. Not a long time in the global scale of things but long enough for me to have run races more than once or twice so that I should know better than to run them again.
So as I stand at start of my 4th Grisedale Grind, I realise that older is definately not wiser. You see, this is where it all started, only 3 years ago, it seems like a lifetime. I'd done a bit of running, 2 half marathons & 2 ten milers in the space of 8 weeks plus the training, I'd split from my wife so had thrown myself into getting fitter as a diversion to take my mind off it. Always fancied a go at fell running after all those years of walking them. How hard could it be?
Spurred on by Richard Asquith's 'Feet in the Clouds', I entered the Grisedale Grind race. Foolishly thinking that 2.5 miles would be a reasonable introduction, surely I could manage that.
Manage it I did, what I couldn't manage was walking downstairs for the next two days which is a bit tricky when your place of work is spread over 5 storeys. Oh how my colleagues laughed.
And so here I am again, the race is a little shorter than the 1st time as the start has moved over the road but it's no less steep. I know about category A,B & C races now & L,M & S, so I know now why this is an AS race. Wish I'd known 3 yrs ago.
And then we're off, no time to contemplate life now just concentrate on putting every muscle in your body to best effect. A short run on forest track brings us to the gate out on to the fell, then it's only up for the next mile. A lung bursting 27 minutes for me, by the time I get to the top the leader has finished & is probably getting changed. A quick thank you to the summit marshall, 10 minutes down & I'm finished too. Another one completed & another PB, drive home with the biggest grin on my face imaginable and even now a week later I'm still grinning because tomorrow is Lords Seat on the other side of the road and I get to do it all over again!
Rock on.

My Two Step Shuffle aka The Anniversary Waltz.

Saturday dawned bright & sunny, a relief after a dull cold Friday, as it was Anniversary Waltz race day. A drive via Penrith to pick up one of the other mugs, I mean runners, then on to Stair to join a long queue of traffic that we assumed were waiting to get parked as well. Eventually we made it on to the car park field & were very efficiently directed into our parking space, 'in there, backwards please'.
Numbers collected & pinned on, familiar faces greeted, old acquantances renewed, we made our to the start field. Now, whether people weren't listening or just didn't get the jist of what was going on with a lap of the field first to spread people out BUT it seemed to me all the fast people started at the back. I say this because for the next two & a half hours an endless stream of people went running past me no matter how hard I tried. In fact it was not until 30yards from the finsh when someone else had the temerity to try & get past that I said to myself, 'enough's enough, buggers not getting past me now' & sprinted past 2 other people in the final yards as well.
The bit in between the start & finish is all a bit vague other than loads of people passing me, I felt I got a quick start but not quick enough, the climb seemed to be immense but didn't last as long as I thought & the route was much longer than I imagined but only took 3 minutes longer than I'd estimated. I have however never felt as ill at the end of race, never not been able to face free food or free beer, maybe it was just too much sunshine. That's my excuse & I'm sticking to it.
Well done to the hundreds that took part & all my fellow Eden Runners. What next? More training I think.......!

Where the hell did that come from.....

Saturday saw the weather return to standard Lakeland fare after several lovely sunny days, of course it was bound to be wet & cold for the Askham Fell race.
The race started in the village with a reasonable climb up the road onto to Askham Fell, from here it was a fast paced gallop over rolling hillside, me going a completely different way to everyone else, but eventually rejoining the crowd for a long fast downhill to checkpoint one. At this point all was going well, no disasters, nice easy running, of course it wasn't going to last. Left turn at CP1 brings a near vertical climb to get to the top of Arthurs Pike. Now those of you familiar with this bit of the Lakes probably know Arthurs Pike as the easy start of what becomes High Street if heading south, to be confronted by this climb was not really something you'd expect but hey, that's fell running. Apparently.
So a relatively short flog uphill, into the weather, brought us to CP2 and a long, long downhill with a short uphill then loads more down led to the finish. Although last out of the the Eden Runners (pipped in the last half mile) I was pleased to have finished at half way through the field. Exactly half way as it happens.
So what next? Well it's the Anniversary Waltz next Saturday, another new one for me. Hundreds of people apparently, wonder if I can manage half way in that one. Watch this blog!

That was the weekend that was.

Well two races in two days, WHAT A STUPID IDEA!..... actually it wasn't that bad. Saturday saw me at Causey Pike 4.5m 1780ft

The top is the little nipple you can see in the distance but unfortunately to get there you have to go up the bit just behind the house you can see near the bottom of the front fell, yes, you've guessed it, straight up. In a 4.5 mile race it took me 35 minutes to do the first 1.5 miles and only another 18 to get to the finish, what's that all about. Mind you, as I was getting to the top the winner was just finishing, respect.

Sunday saw me at Grizedale Forest for a 10mile trail race, thoroughly recommendable. The views all round are spectacular, if only I could run with my camera as well. Managed to get round in a slightly quicker time than when I did it two years ago so well pleased with that and you get free tea & flapjack at the finish to boot. The most exciting moment was however soon after the start when a navigation error by the leaders ( they went up the wrong track & everyone followed like sheep) briefly saw me in 3rd place. Highest place I'll ever have!

Next week sees Askham Fell race, this is a new race so heaven knows what it'll be like but look out for the report.

And the little dog.....

well, life as normal really!

Mmm

Isn't strange how life throws you a curved ball now and again, walking home from town after a night out, cross the road to find somebody saying 'hello Ian' well at quarter past twelve it's not really what you're anticipating. Turns out the greeter is someone from my school days who's making sure her niece gets home ok, she only lives round the corner, funny old world.
Today is Causey Pike day now, 2nd of the club championship races. I've been out a couple of times recently but really struggled so this will be a real challenge AND I'm doing Grizedale trail race tomorrow as well.
I've beeen in the house at least 10 minutes & little dog has just made an appearance bless her, she was fast asleep when I came in, old age is catching up on her as well as me.
Lets see what today brings.....

Neil's Big Day

Well, Neil's big day finally came round with the Police National X-country championship at Lowther Park. While he may not have come first he put in a champion performance. Well done mate.

Haweswater Half Marathon

Well Sunday was a brilliant day, a chance to give something back. Helping marshal on the half marathon was such good fun, I would recommend it to anyone who likes a socialable cheap day out.




You get to see the Eden lovelies in their fetching garb and proper runners doing their stuff and to cap it all there is of course the fantastic scenery.













So, get your running shoes on, get out there and get training for next year when it all happens again.

See the start at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WYhqphCMkQ

It Must Be A Bug.

Went out with Neil again on Thursday, didn't get quite as far as we intended due to rather strong headwinds which saw us do 2 miles in 30 minutes on the way out & 2 1/2 miles in 20 minutes on the way back.
So, bolstered by new found enthusiasm, I entered the High Cup Nick fell race. Only 9 miles / 1500ft, ONLY 9 MILES!!!! felt more like 90. After a gentle start through the lovely village of Dufton ( see dufton.org.uk) it all went pear shaped, a couple of miles of open fell trod brought another couple of miles of open fell bog. This was ok (not) 'til I realised that to get to the top of the Nick was a near vertical climb up a grassy bank, by this stage we were well in the clag in more ways than one.
The funny thing is, when you get to what you think is the top, you expect the rest to be all down hill. Oh no, it undulates and undulations hurt at this stage of the game before a long, long descent back to the village to be greeted by smiley faces, happy dogs, pats on the back, handshakes, hugs and cups of soup.
Do it again? Of course I bloody would, I'll be back next year to give it another go, bring on the next one!!!

The Rythm of Life

Didn't manage to go for a short run yesterday so thought I'd make up for it today. Well.......took the little dog for a walk from Burnbanks along the side of Haweswater then struck off up the hill, at this point it turned into an 'adventure' walk. In other words I didn't have clue where we were going, not very good for someone with a MLC, but then we were only going for an hour so didn't take ANY stuff with us. It was only temporary as you can only get so lost half a mile from the track.
On our return to the car little dog promptly went to sleep while I put my running togs on and set off to run round Haweswater. That certainly ramped up the running. Managed to get round eventually but boy did it hurt at the end. So we're up and running again as they say.
If the young lady who was also running along the track is reading this, well done you, I hope you enjoyed the fine weather as much as I did.

At Last!

I finally got my lazy arse out of the house yesterday and went for a run with my friend Neil. First time since x-country last month. Not far, 6 miles, mainly uphill for the first 3 miles then we turned round!! Neil is in training for the Cumbria Police x-country team for next month's championship so good luck to him, he looked in fine form.
Not much exciting happening at the mo, seems to be that time of year. Plans are afoot for motorbike trips later in the year, watch this space, they're gonna be good un's, as they say. Hopefully the running will start to ramp up now, going out again tomorrow for another short run and build from there.
Little dog is behaving herself, health wise at least, however my table lamp in the lounge apears to have mysteriously thrown itself on the floor and broken it's neck, as if in an act of suicide. Mmm......oh well another trip to Ikea then!

Happy New Year?

Well, 2009 is here. I took some time yesterday to reflect on the highs & lows of 2008, it filled in 5 minutes while I waited for the kettle to boil. Not the most memorable year on record but I'm still here alive & kicking for 2009.

The little dog & I went for our 1st walk of the new year this morning, a short trip onto High Pike on the Northern edge of the Lakes. Truly the most wonderful viewpoint in all of Lakeland. The little dog is in rude health, her medication is working well and she's put on nearly a whole kilo in a month and looking better for it. It's a spiritual trip for us, the ashes of her old pal Meg are buried under the cairn, so we go now and again to let her know how things are. I can think of no better place to end up when my time has past.

And so to the year ahead, several races already entered and a few pencilled in. I want to do more off road running this year, it's as close to a resolution as I'll come so don't hold your breath.

I'll keep you all updated as to progress!