What A Week

After the Cumbrian Run last Sunday I had Monday and Tuesday as rest days, I was also covering a night shift, which takes a couple of days to get used to.

On  Wednesday afternoon I did a steady 7 mile road run.

On Thursday I parked my car in Pooley Bridge and ran up to Loadpot, it was a misty sort of day, but a very enjoyable run.

Friday saw me on the bike and my longest bike ride, in terms of time and distance yet.......26 miles in 2 and a half hours...... maybe not super fast but in my defence there were some hills in the route, one of them up to Dockray form the lakeside, which felt like never ending.
Once out of Dockray there is a small downhill section where I felt like "Armstrong", but in reality looked like a sweating, red faced, white knuckled joker with an air filled jacket .
I'm resisting the urge to buy proper cycle clobber in case people start to think " hey, that guy on the old bike looks a bit useful"
Got to admit though once I was off the lake road it was a lot more enjoyable with less traffic. I hope I can find time to do one ride like this a week.

Saturday was a day I was dreading but also looking forward to. Cross Country.
Dreading because its bloody hard and fast(ish) work and looking forward to because I know it will do me good in the long term.
Cockermouth was the venue for the first Cumbria Cross Country meet and after getting my start time mixed up (1 hour early, 1st there, looking really keen) I had a walk down into the town centre where its hard to believe that about this time last year it was all underwater.
After buying the "Press Guy" a tuna roll I made my way back up the the field where we were going to run.
I thought most of the quick guys would not of bothered  with it been fra relays the day after, but 1 by 1 they drifted in, Ricky Lightfoot, Phil Winskill,, Russell Maddams and even Carl Bell!!!!
It is run in an handicap system and last year I was in the fast group, but luckily for me, this year I've been put in the middle group, which also sets off with the 17 yr olds, and the faster group stetting of 3 mins later.
For the 1st 2 laps I was 17 again but by the last 2 laps I was a sorry 42 year old, hanging on for grim death.
On the last lap first Ricky passed me( who even tried to talk to me, but I was incapable of speech), then Phil who was having a battle with Russell, but still had time to push me up the hill, git!!!
I waited for Carl to pass but I held on for 4th ( don't forget, its handicapped).  Carl must of got lost in another field!!!!
A good turn out as always by Eden Runners and as it turns out a very enjoyable day.

Today, Sunday, I took myself up to Kidsty Pike from Pooley Bridge, a run that will get longer as the weeks pass by.

Look very hard for the deer on Low Raise

Cloud gathering over the Knott from High Raise

Readers of this Blog (both of you) might of noticed Blipfoto which is just below my followers.
Its takes you to another website which allows you to post photos each day and other people can leave comments on. Every week the Big Chiefs at Blipfoto gather around a table and choose a "photo of the week".
This award is very prestige and some wanna be Blippers would give their right arm to win it, well, guess who won this week....................
The winning photo can be found on the 10th October and the winning announcement can be found at BlipBlog
All very exciting........... even if it was for a very bad photo!!!!!!!

“This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Kenobi, and will soon see the end of the rebellion.”