Now Then......Where Was I.......

Oh yes - falling on my arse in a stream of freezing water at the Outerside fell race in March!!

Its December now so thought I would update my blog - after all the initial idea for it in the first place was for me to have some written memory's to look back upon when I'm an old fella who cant climb the stairs anymore, let alone the fells.

April and May continued with a few slow runs and I carried on getting the bike miles in. The bike was going that well that I even purchased a new one.
2013 was definitely the year that I that I actually rode the bike because I enjoyed it rather the ride it just to keep fit.

Nothing of note to say about my running until early June when my big mate (Steve Angus) was attempting the Bob Graham Round. I was still struggling with my injury and wasn't sure if I could help support him . It was decided that I would turn up on leg 2 and do nowt on the leg but try and capture the moment on camera. To be honest I didn't really expect to be with them when the morning light appeared  but I surprised myself and did the whole leg and also got some photos of him.
Something I was really proud to do because he helped me on my own round in 2010 and was a solid support on leg 3 for me....... he also got some cracking photos of me on the round..... ( he didn't really) and was good enough to show up again at Moot Hall at the finish......(he didn't really).
It is something that I will continue to rib him about for a long time to come.
Steve flew around the round in a sub 20 hour time I was chuffed to bits for him. I knew how much time and effort he had put into it.

below are a small selection of photos that I took for him........ for which I'm still awaiting payment!

some hours later I went to the Moot Hall....

Well done ulgy.

The rest of June and July was spent on the bike with the odd run thrown in. We also moved house.

August I upped my running to about 20 odd miles a week and found out that as long as I didnt run long distances I stayed relatively pain free . At the end of the month I ran Dufton fell race.
A small field of 50 or so runners and I was was fairly pleased to get in the top ten and get prize for my age category but more importantly.....Pain free!!

Finishing Dufton

Buoyed by little return to fell running I upped my millage on the fell but soon found out I was still in pain when descending and putting effort in.I fell back to the flatter surface and also did the Ride for Micheal sportive - less said about that the better.

In October I got roped in to run in the Ian Hodgson relays. Little Eden did well where as I climbed well suffered a bit on the long downhill run in. It was good to be in it though having missed the team last year.

November was a busy month. Two ten mile road races, a XC and park run.

Derwentwater 10 was the first and I only really decided to enter it a few days before.

A Kath Batty Photo

My road running was going well and running at a lunchtime at work was giving me a bit of speed back.
I think I ran it in 62-15 - way above my expectations and I was again in the prize money for 2nd V45.
The following weekend I biked to Carlisle and ran in the XC. I suffered badly in this, mainly due to the poor choice of footwear but still really enjoyed it.

Next up was the Brampton to Carlisle ten miler where my sub 60 three years ago ranks as high as my 21-07 BGR.
It was not to be this year. 16 seconds over.
I have absolutely loved running these ten milers and hopefully will do for years to come.

B2C before the wheels fell off

Last weekend we spent in Leeds so I popped along to the local park run at Temple Newsham.

Today I tried to up my long run to 15 miles. I managed it but not without pain. I will continue to run up to ten miles for now .

So that's that. I'm happy to be running again and hopefully things will continue to improve.

Future events?
Well I would love to run in the Tour de Helvellyn, especially after last years fiasco of taking photos and I also would like to tick the Lakeland 50 off............. the only certainty is that it wont be in the next 12 months.

onwards and upwards

Not The Causey Pike Fell Race 2013

Second fell race in 18 months for me yesterday.
You forget how hard it is.


However I haven't lost my ability to make myself look an idiot......

Looks Deep

oh shit !

This is gonna hurt

Yep

Its cold

quick

get up

wet arse

I don't think anyone seen!!

Back to the drawing board.


Lots of togs yesterday....

Keswick & District

fellrunner net (dobbos)

Its Proving hard work

to get bloody fit again!!

The last 8 days have seen me on the fells and its been bloody hard work. It does not help that I'm going out with lads who are by far much better/fitter runners then myself.

After spending a week at a rehabilitation centre where I did a lot of stretching, swimming and gym work I was eager to see if I could still run up Blencathra non stop. I did. Just.

It wasn't fast or pretty (40 mins) but I didn't care - I felt great!

A walker on Halls Fell Summit

Two days later I found myself at Spoony Green lane Keswick. I was going to test myself on Skiddaw now by running up the big tourist path. I was met by Steve Angus who was thinking of running leg 1 of the BG route but was feeling a bit below the weather and suggested we run up to Mellbeck and ascend Skiddaw via Carl Side. I hadnt been up Carl Side for over 20 years and liked the idea.The first couple of miles felt easy until we hit the fell. For me it was like running into a wall! For the next 20-30 minutes I moaned for England.
My calfs were screaming at the steepness and my heart fell below my knees as Steve effortlessly pulled ahead.
I got a second breath at the tarn and began to feel better and managed to run to Skiddaw summit - leaving Steve in my wake - he had stopped for a piss!!
We carried on down over hart Crag and jogged back to Keswick past Skiddaw House.
A good 2 1/2 hours out and if felt good.

Me moaning my way up Carl Side

Steve pretending he cant hear me

Good views though

Tuesday evening I was again left feeling inadequate after hanging on to Steve Bennetts back wheel for 24 fast ice cold miles.

Feeling confident I arranged to meet my old Wednesday night training mates - Steve "Turnip" Bennett and Sam "Beetroot" Ware at Scales car park for a head torch run up Blencathra.We met Steve Angus at the car park who had already been up earlier but stopped to pose for a photo.

captain beetroot and the 2 Steves

Sam has got himself fantastically fit these last 2 years and I swear he was not even trying as I huff and puffed my way up. He was wanting to chat but soon realised that I was beyond chatter and before long Steves and Sams head torches grew small and fainter.I was on my knees and as I was approaching the Zig Zags. Capt beetroot had ran back down to run the last bit with me.
I was on my arse and gave the old "go on without me - im not bothered bout topping out speech"
Sam wasn't having it though and coaxed me up the last bit where Steve B was still recovering after trying to keep up with the" beetroot kid".
Im so glad he did though because the views were fantastic in the clear night sky's.

turnip heed and beetroot

The descent was as bad as the ascent where I manged to trip up. This I fear was the last straw for turnip heed and beetroot and they disappeared into the night  leaving old sad arse to find his own way down!
Back at the car park Sam wanted to know if we were going to be going out on Wednesday nights again-
We are but your not invited anymore!!
Thursday and Friday I did nowt. Well thats not true - I felt sorry for myself.

Saturday and Steve Angus was wanting a shortish run so we decided to go up Blencathra via Blease and descend by Doddick. I used to be able to run all of this route but found it imposible today and walked a good bit of the steep fell side. With snow on the ground and high winds in our faces it was still tough going.
We got back to the cars after 1 1/2 hours and probably only 6 miles.

latrigg from Blease fell

stood in sumat Steve ?

I am starting Pilates next week. I'm still experiencing pain in my stomach. I am not going let it get to me.....

........ yet!!

Ive had a fuckin great week :-)

Last Time....

.....I mention Gilomore's Groin - I hope.

Today I visited the surgeon who operated on me on November 5th last year. He gave me the best possible news that at times I thought I would never hear........ "you can start running again"!!

So 20 months after getting injured and 16 months of no fell racing (Kettlewell Relays was the last time I wore the Eden vest),  I'm free to start nashing/plodding up tops again.

At times I thought my running was finished. I'm not the fastest or the fittest but not being able to do something you love is horrible - hence my race photography at local fell races, which allowed me to keep in touch with a great sport. My photos are not the quality of the so called pros but they are all free for anyone to download.

The annoying thing is my injury was fixed within 2 months after getting properly diagnosed - let it go stu....

I realise I still have a lot to do before I can run hard and its gonna hurt getting fit again but just to run pain free again will do for now.

See you on the tops :-)

Nine Standards Fell Race

Its been a long time since I have written a blog post about a fell race that I was involved in - 16 months to be precise!
But with a hangover and 2 weeks of slow steady training behind me I along with 165 others stood on the start line in Kirkby Stephen for the 25th Nine Standards Fell Rcae.
I figured I could manage to run/walk it after doing a low level fell run with Steve Angus 3 days previous.
I'm still experiencing pain where I had the operation but I figured as long as I didn't do owt daft and took it easy I be all right..... easier said then done!

Milling about at the start it was great to see old friends again - though some have changed. My old training mate Sam Ware has started wearing silly things on his calfs and was banging on about beetroot all the time!

On your marks....

The start was a very gentle affair - for us nearer the back - and it was a nice jog out of the town. It soon stopped being gentle when we started climbing up the road towards the fell. I've done this race a few times before and never before has the 2 mile stretch of road felt so long. Folk were coming past me steadily but I was still running.....just.
Finally the fell appeared and it would be 2 miles before we reached the top. I spotted a club mate ahead and decided I would try and keep him in sight. He was soon pulling away though so I gave up that plan and decided I would take some photos with the compact I had been carrying from the start.
Before long the leaders were streaming past and it looked like  Carl Bell had a real fight on with Morgan Donnelly.

The race is on

plenty of racing near the back too

 I decided to put the camera away and concentrate on getting to the summit - which was proving to be a slog through the wet ground but better then the foot of snow I once ran it in.
I'm ashamed to say I walked the last bit, right up to the cairns - I didn't care how many folk were stood watching- I was fooked!!
I manage to get running again and thought the downhill would cause me problems - it has in the past - but I found I was ticking along nicely and started passing the odd runner.
I spied my club mate (Jon Tombs - who has a had fantastic running year with his BGR and other long distance events) ahead and before long we were running together, pulling each other along catching a few more runners.
Before long the tarmac hit and I could feel the pain in my stomach and maybe a bit foolishly carried on pushing - I didn't want to loose all the ground we had made up on the fell - to the finish.
It felt great running with Jon and I doubt if I hadn't come across him I would of ran home a lot slower then I did.
My taxi ( Steve Angus ) was almost changed and had walked scamp by the time I finished but I didn't care.....
....my hangover had gone!!

Carl Bell won and broke the record. Well done fella.  
Lauren Jeska won for the ladies. Well done lass.

Club mates Kim Colinson finished in 3rd and Sam Ware 5th. A good turn out from Eden Runners. Well done team Eden.

Steve Angus has a super run too finishing in the top ten - Well done ya weirdo !!

Good to be back :-)

Back to see the surgeon next week and a full weeks intensive physio. Apparently all my core muscle has gone - dont think I ever had any tbh  - Happy New Year