More blah blah blah

Another week of no racing but all four training sessions have felt like races.

From Blencathra

Monday I went along to the speed sessions with the tri club where we ran 5 x 1000m loops on the local industrial estate. What pleased me most about this session was that all four reps were in 5 seconds of each other, slowest was 3.07 and the fastest 3.02 (the last one), so at least im holding my pace better. I'm enjoying these sessions a lot, but I do find them very hard, especially with them being so soon after the weekend, where I have usually done some long runs.

At the club on Wednesday night we did mile reps which I know benefit me but still hate doing them.

On Thursday I ran 6.5 mile on the roads as fast as I could. This is something new for me as I normally just go out and run this distance, but on this occasion I ran hard right from the start. This im told helps you a lot.
I am also sure that all these speed sessions will cease when the light nights return and I can resume to plodding on the fells again, although plodding was the last thing on Carl Bells mind when along with Steve Bennett we did leg 1 of the Bob Graham on Saturday morning....

After parking the cars in Threlkeld, all 3 of us ran into Keswick along the railway path to Spoony Lane. On the climb of Skiddaw we soon caught a group of fellas recceing the leg. They were from Ripon (I think) and after a brief chat with them we were off again. Carl ran on ahead and was half way up Little man until me and Steve caught him up.

Future Bob Grahams in training

What a view

Carl and Steve showing his best side

On the climb to Gt Calva, Carl ran it all whilst me and Steve marched up. Surely the long slog up the back of Blencathra will slow him down.
Nope. Instead he ran away from us zigzagging it. Too much energy he has!
I had a Eccles cake!
The top was soon reached where we had a quick drink and took some photos before we descended via Doddick. Again I maintain this is the best way of Blencathra (for me anyway) and we all reached the cricket club car park in less the 23 minutes (road in 19). The going was icy in places  too.
We did the leg in 2.52 and I have no doubt at all that Carl could of done it at least 20 minutes quicker.

Nothing done today due to having a night out last night where the coca cola king (Steve B) must of spiked my drink........ Feeling very tender today!!!

1559 (answers on a postcard)

A good week running, but no races to report on.

Last year was all about one thing for me, getting around the Bob Graham Round, and as a result, every time I stepped out onto the fell the only thing on my mind was the BGR.
Looking back, the reccying and long days out were brilliant. One of my favourite long days out was the Ullswater round, which I did in some awful conditions, but it was so good to run into Pooley Bridge feeling very strong, after some 9 hours after I had left. My account for the day can be read here.

At the moment I am down to help out on 4 BGs this year, maybe 5. Looking forward to them all.

Also has a result of all my prep for the BGR  I missed a few fell races, I think I did 4 before it, one of them was the 3 peaks in Yorkshire. I have entered again to see if I can beat my time from last year, which was 3.39. To get near 3.30 would be fantastic, but I wont be too hard on myself if I don't. I very much doubt that we will get conditions as good as last year.
The last 3 years has all been about fell running for me, I cant think of anything better - I love it - even being on my own and running onto new tops, getting home and retracing my steps on a map. Brilliant. ( I need to get to the pub more, I think)

I have got a new route (for me) planned to run on the Ullswater Fells that I have been wanting to do for a while now. I thought I would maybe do it this weekend but the weather was too crap for a long day out on the hills so instead I parked my car In Pooley Bridge and ran up to Loadpot. The wind and rain was in my face all the way up and it took me 57 mins , about 10 minutes longer then normal, but as soon as I turned at the cairn ,I flew back down in 32 minutes.


Yesterday I met up with Steve Angus at Talkin tarn near Brampton for a very wet, very windy  very hilly 15 mile road run. The plan was to run the 15 miles at a steady pace , but with about 3 miles to go I realised Steve had dropped back a few meters, so wanting my revenge on him by beating me last week at the XC, I upped my pace slightly. He didn't react to my invitation to race and I got back to the cars some 3-4 minutes before him. Steve is a proper road runner who trains proper, eats proper and is too long in the tooth to react to my foolishness, unlike Stevie B, who takes no encouragement at all.

A fine example of this was on Wednesday night where, along with Sam, we opted out of the 400m reps and instead ran all the steep hills in Penrith. We all agreed at the start that we would take it easy, we all lied and some 8o mins later we were on our knees back the club house, even running on the flats we were trying to keep up with each other, good fun nonetheless though.

On Monday I again went to the local tri club, where we did some, yep, you guessed it, hill reps!

So not a bad week, admittedly there is more road miles then fell miles at the moment, but with the weather and dark nights I am trying to push on them as hard as I can. A bit of speed wont do anybody any harm.

Keswick XC

The 4th race in a series of 5 for the Cumbria cross country league was held in Keswick on Saturday. The course was the same as the one used for the county championships in December last year, so it would be a good test to see if any improvement had been made.

A much bigger and stronger field lined up at the start, which was again in handicap formation.
James Douglas won again beating some top fell runners (Steele, Winskill, Heppelthwaite and  Abdelnoor).

I found it a lot tougher then the county championship race and was pleased to record a time some 35 seconds faster and taking 10th place.
My faster time might be down to Steve Angus who was  racing. I was ahead of him until the 3rd lap where he eased passed me. I tried to keep the gap respectable and he beat me  by 15 seconds.
No shame there as he is beginning to recapture his form from last year and I don't think I can realisticly expect to stay on level terms with him any more, making the nine standards fell race even more memorable for me.

Its a shame that the final race is on the same day as the Buttermere Round 22 mile road race, as I think I will be entering that again, Its good training for the Yorkshire 3 Peaks.

The "faster" group get ready.

Over the festive season I have eaten far to much rubbish, especially toffees (which I still have a mountain left to eat ) so I am now on my second day of eating healthier again, ( all tho I have just been to the pub and had 2 pints, but alcohol doesn't count).
Even with just 2 days of better living im feeling a bit more energetic.
I plan to get some longer fells run in this month and up my mileage slowly.

Nine Standards Fell Race

When will I learn?
I should off known accepting a lift off Phil Winskill to Nine Standards fell race on New Years day would have its price to pay.
Normally before a race, my pre race warm up consists of keeping my jacket on  just before the off.
Not so with Phil though, who after registering insisted we have a look at the start of the race. Some miles later and im doubting we will get back in time for the start !

The route goes on road for about 2 miles and then continues on the fell for another 2 miles before turning at the cairn and running back the same way, all runnable and this year free off snow, which last year was over a foot deep.

Back at the start line and there's another good turnout from eden runners, who last year won the team prize.
Also wandering about is Steve A, who is running competitively for the first time since August after a stress fracture forced him out for 8 weeks. His account of his race can be read here.

The race sets off and after the initial mad rush I settle into about 8/9th place and try to concentrate on keeping my pace even.
Once on the fell the field is really stretched out and I notice a club mate 200 yards ahead off me, I try to keep him in sight.

A couple of runners go past me with still about half a mile to the top still to climb and I start to think that maybe im struggling and then to make matters worse there's a horrible noise in my left ear. I try to ignore it but it gets louder and louder, it has a horrible Scottish twang mixed with a bit of Geordie in it, the next insult confirms my worst fears....
..its Steve A having a storming run and wanting a bit of crack on the toughest part of the course, I tell him to f**k off but he just laughs and carries on yapping. He yapping away whilst I can hardly breath and eventually we reach the summit where Steve turns in 11th and me 12th.

In a bid to get give my ears a rest I throw myself down the fell and slowly Steve voice trails away.
I have a good descent passing 5 on the fell section alone.

Once on the road though I knew Steve would be gaining on me again so I put my head down and pretended I was doing a 10 mile road race where I had to push to get under the hour!
This seemed to work because I slowly began to catch my club mate . On arrival back to the village/town I was right behind him and settled in to finish in that position...... and then I got a rush of blood with about 300yards to go and sped up to get past him, to my amazement he didn't react and I crossed the line 60 minutes after the start and in 6th place out of 95 runners.

Phil Winskill won convincingly in 56 minutes and I deliberately hid away from him in case he wanted a "run down"!! (not making that mistake again)

I was delighted when Steve A crossed the line only 20 odd seconds behind me, the only thing missing was the absence of Steve b (whom I'm lead to believe is in training for something quite a bit longer).

As always the "meet up" in the club afterwards was as good as ever meeting new folk and catching up on others. Fell running is quite unique at this, I think.

Eden runners got the team prize and Eden's Julia King got fv50. 

Boxing Day Slog

Making the most of the holiday period with some good fell runs already in the bag..... and more to come, I hope.

Monday I went along to the local tri club and did some speed work and then had a steady run run around town afterwards.

Tuesday and Wednesday I had a did a few easy miles around town.

Thursday I ran up to Arthur's Pike, a run I had neglected for a while.

A gate.

Are my legs getting longer?

A misty Arthur s Pike.

Friday I parked at Threlkeld and ran along the railway line to Keswick, up the side of Latrigg and then followed the Cumbrian Way footpath for a bit till I cut of it to go directly up Lonscale Pike, a top that I have wanted to go up for a while now. I followed the fence line straight up and then after visiting the two cairns, ran along to the main Skiddaw path, where I then ran up to Skiddaw little man. Great views were had.
I returned to Threlkeld by running down to Latrigg and then back along the railway line.

View from Little Man

View from Lonscales.

Today, Sunday I again parked at Threlkeld but this time ran/slogged up Clough Head. Always a good work out!

Clough Head summit with Blencathra behind.

Needs no introducing....

Looking towards Keswick

On the descent I put on my Kahtoolas, something I purchased last winter, which made my descending easy, even running fast over sheets of ice!!

Nearly at the end of the year and nearly 2000 miles ran.....
A successful BGR.... a half decent time in the 3 peaks and Borrowdale...... a few top 10s in fell races..... some PBs in road running this autumn and most of all....... lots of fun!!!!!

Ten Days

Only 10 days since my last post, but a lot as happened in that time - A county championship XC race, some speed reps with a tri club, a 4 mile road race and pacing leg2 of a BG mid winter attempt.....oh and a couple of heavy nights out!!!
The XC was held at Keswick and I wasn't going to run this but with the langdale 10k cancelled due to the snow, I thought "what the heck".
A lot stronger field then the usual Cumbria xc league with it being the county championships, most notably  a strong contingent from Border Harriers.
It was 4 laps of a fairly fast course and I soon found myself in a race with Graham Millican of Border, and as the norm, he proved too strong for me and beat me by 19 seconds.
I was quite pleased though with my effort and I feel that the speed work I have put in over winter is starting to pay off.
James Douglas won it finishing ahead of Ricky Lightfoot, who after the race said that he was thinking of having a go at the winter Bob Graham record the following weekend.

The same night was the first heavy night out which resulted in having a very lazy Sunday.

On a Monday I normally run a few miles around town, but this week I took myself along to Aragons Tri club who hold weekly speed sessions. Really enjoyed these, even if was questioning my sanity after each one.
I will try and do more of these.

Tuesday morning resulted in my legs feeling a bit stiff so I ran a few miles around town delivering Christmas cards for Susan!!!

Wednesday was club night and the dreaded New Streets Race.  A tough 4 mile race taking 4 of the steepest hills Penrith has to offer.
Last year I set off too quick and paid for it later on where I really struggled up the last two hills.
About 30 of us set off, and again I set off too quick (I will never learn) and I soon found myself out in front, but this time I felt a lot more relaxed and held on to  finish first, mainly due to the fast lads not turning up and Steve b still feeling the effects of falling of his bike the day before!

On Thursday I had a call from Nick Ray who was organising Rickys BG. He thought it wasn't going to go ahead. I must admit of feeing slightly relieved as I hadn't done leg 2 in dark.

The feeling of relief didn't last long though because on Friday I got another call saying it was back on and if I could do leg 2. He Had Steve Birkinshaw for leg 1, setting off at 1 am.
As Well as I know leg 2, I didn't want the responsibility of taking Ricky alone so I phone some good fell running mates, Craig Smith and Sam Ware. Their were well up for it and as it turned out it was one the smartest things I have ever done.

4 o clock Saturday morning, me Craig and Sam are sat in my car at Threlkeld cricket club. Not a star to be seen, no sign of the moon, freezing cold and wanting to get going to get warmed up.
Eventually we see 2 sets of head torched coming of Doddick.
After a few falls on ice on Skiddaw, Ricky and Steve arrive in 3 hrs 28 mins. No road support for Ricky, Steve was going to run back to Keswick for his car, so I gave him my car to take to Keswick.
It was good to get running and Clough Head was reached in 45 minutes.
Gt Dodd was found and Sam took a bearing for us to Watson Dodd. The path to it could just be visible but we had to spread out to find the cairn. It was the same on Stybarrow where we wondered about for a few minutes looking for the top, once found Sam took a bearing to get us back on the path to Raise. It was snowing Heavy now and the wind made it even colder. The freshly laid snow was hiding ice and great care had to be taken.
Raise was found and I thought that the nav would be straight forward now but we got totally disorientated and the map and compass had to come out again. for 3 or 4 minutes we were lost, but Craig took a bearing which didn't seem right, but we trusted the compass and eventually we came to the path which had a few footprints in ( there were 3 other teams who had set off 4 hrs ahead of Ricky).
Going up Whiteside was tough with the wind and the snow getting blown in our faces and when we stopped to record the time at the summit noticed we all had icicles hanging from our faces! Our drinks had turned to slush puppies.
It wasn't till we were coming down from Dollywagon to the tarn that the dark started lifting, what a relief. Even so I slipped and slid about 30 yards on my back, trying to dig my heels in to stop.
Craig and Sam stayed at the col whilst I took Ricky up to Fairfield. With light coming through now, this big BG climb felt easy after the night we had been put through.
Once on top I took my spikes and gave them to Ricky so he could descend with confidence and reach Craig and Sam to go up Seat Sandal.
We all reached Dunmail  4hrs 10mins after we had set off. Ricky was still well under 21 hr schedule and myself Craig and Sam were relieved to of got him there in that time in some horrid conditions.

Climbing Gt Dodd

Ricky coming off Fairfield

Dunmail and support cars

Ricky pondering his next move.

It was decided at Dunmail that it wasn't safe to carry on, all the roads were blocked to Wasdale and Honister and Ricky probably made the right decision, with the only other team that had carried on after Dunmail retiring after finding Bowfell too Icy.
A top effort though.

As for me, the night made me realise no matter how well you think you know the fells, dark and extreme weather can make it a totally different monster. So much so that I today purchased a cheap GPS to throw in the packpack............ Just in case!

Later on that night I indulged in my 2nd heavy night!

Club Night Beacon Run

Club night at Eden runners thrown into chaos with the weather, but no such let off's as club coach Alan Marshall arranged a run up to Beacon Pike, followed by some road miles and then another short off road section thrown in.

First wave up.

Second wave appearing

Whats the joke? oh its Steve b!

Mark Nik coming down.

Getting ready to go off road again

Into the unknown

They were never seen again.

Beats the mile reps though !!!!

3 Races In A Week - All Cancelled

On this blog this time last year I wrote  - 3 Races In A Week - in which I did the Cumbria XC , New Streets road race and the Hexham Hobble. I was hoping to write the same title again this year, but the snow and frost caused all 3 to be cancelled.

Still managed to get some good miles in though which included 3 town runs during the week,and one really enjoyable fell run of 17 miles on Sunday.

The first town run was about 7 miles in the snow, which made me a good moving target for some kids (2 near misses and 1 direct hit) throwing snowballs. It felt like running on the fells to be honest with the snow making the pavements all bumpy and uneven.

The 2nd town run involved about 5 of us who turned at the club but didn't fancy the speed reps that Alan had planned, so we had a run around town which included a run up to the BEACON.
Quite magical in the dark with the snow on the ground giving us enough light to find our way without torches. The sky was full of stars and Steve B tried his best to show us all his knowledge of the galaxy, which amounted to " I think that's the plough"!

The following night I again ran up to the beacon but added a couple of extra road miles in too making it 9 miles at a good steady pace.

Saturday I spent the afternoon fighting my way around Carlisle Xmas shopping, with the deal being I was free to go for a run on Sunday.

Parked my car at Pooley and ran up to Roehead and continued on the path that runs slightly above Ullswater to Howtown.

I continued up to the church and made my way along to Boardale Hause which was still all runnable until the last 5 minutes where the snow was too deep. I have never had reason to run up here before, always preferring the Hight Street range or the BG route, but this was about to get quite breath taking with clear blue sky's and snow clad hills.

Once on Boardale Hause my plan was to retrace my steps put with being well up on time and the views too good I carried on to Place Fell, a top that I have never visited.

2 walkers making their way up Place Fell

Looking towards Helvellyn and Fairfield

Brothers Water and Red Screes

The summit with fantastic views

Looking back to Penrith under the fog.

Blencathra

On my down I disturbed a herd of Deer where at first I thought there was about 10, but it turned out there was over 20.

Click on image to make bigger.

I got back to my car in 3 and a half hours, not bad going with the snow and views that I took in, but today my "bg groin" has flared up again. Hope a couple of days rest will ease it.
More photos can be found on MY FLICKR

Woodys Round Up

Possibly my favourite photo of the year

The day after Brampton - Carlisle 10 mile road race I met up with Scamp to run leg 1 of the Bob Graham Round, unfortunately he brought Steve A along too so it was a case of me and Scamps having a good run out and Steve A yapping all the way round. We missed the climb of Blencathra though and opted to run along to Skiddaw House and then back to Threlkeld. A good  3hrs out and it was good to catch up with Scamps!
Good to have Steve A back running too. 

Scamp

Monday night I did nowt and on Tuesday I set of to do a good 8 miles but cut it short to about 4. I was starving and felt horrible.

Working late on Wednesday and parents evening on Thursday but managed a good 8 mile run after it.

Friday is traditionally shopping night in the stoddys household so not much chance of fitting a run in, fish and chips the more likely option.

Saturday I had 3 choices. Kirkbymoor fell race, Ravonstonedale 10k or Cumbria cross country at Maryport.
The big dumping of snow made my choice for me though, with kirkbymoor to far on the back roads and Ravonstonedale cancelled it was the shortest and most boring option, the cross country at Maryport. After having the drive from hell to get there (window washers frozen up) I got there to be told some knob had put a stonking big poster of me up in the register area........Steve f*****g  Angus advertising his race photos!

As for the race, well I never know how to run a race under half marathon distance - go off quick and hang on or set off steady and try and make places up - I decided to set of quick, so quick that I was still with eventual race winner Steve Hepplethwaite of Keswick AC after 1 lap. Needless to say that I crashed and burned and finished 4th out of the fast group, but for 3/4 of a lap I like to think I had Steve  h worried...........in case I had a heart attack!!!!
He said to me at the end that he looked over his shoulder and thought ...
"bloody hell, its Stu?"
Good fun and 4 other Eden runners made the long trip too.

Me chasing Steve H down!!!!

Thanks to athlets in action photos for above image

Today, Sunday I was going to park at Askham and then run to Boredale Hause  and back, a good 4 hours I was hoping for, but again there was another fresh dumping of snow and after getting the Sunday papers in the car, decided that it was too risky to drive out of town. This is when I came up with my brilliant idea. Bike out, do the run , bike back.
I got a mile and after nearly coming off for the 3rd time and unable to feel my fingers gave up on this hair brain plan and returned home, again nearly falling off.
After defrosting my fingers I gave up on fell run plan and opted to run out of town and through Lowther Park to Askham and back, about 10 miles.
With the snow it really was a picturesque run.

Some photos below and more at  my Flickr

Sorry for all the photos today, but it really was a great run/photo day.
No sign of Steve B this week but reports have reached me that he is having an assault on the new streets race on Wednesday night. Report to follow.

59.46........And Relax.

Over the last few months, I have used this blog to poke fun at some good running pals, notably Steve Bennett and Steve Angus, both have been, and still are (well maybe not Stevie B any more )  very, very good road runners.
Both of them have, countless times ran well under the hour for ten miles and well under three hours for the marathon, both of them I have uppermost respect for ( well maybe not Stevie A), and have recorded times that I will never get close to, but neither of them have done the Bob Graham Round in 21 hours.
In fact they haven't even attempted the BGR.......yet.
So for that reason alone they will carry on been the blunt of my crap jokes. Losers.

My point is for the last 2-3 months I have been road running, a lot, mainly to try and get under the hour for ten miles which I consider the Holy Grail for me!

After some decent half marathon times I thought I would push myself a little bit harder and try for it at Brampton - Carlisle, today.

The race sets of from Brampton, after getting a bus from Carlisle and you run back, the course is historically quick mainly because the changing rooms/showers are small at the sands centre. First back, first changed!

Walking nervously to the start

I set off with the plan of keeping up someone one who I thought I could keep up with. I couldn't.

After the first mile I glanced down at my watch only to realise that I had not set it off. I pushed the start button again and decided I would keep check on my time from now.

I tried to keep with this guy. He ran it in 56 mins

At mile two the fella I was trying hard to keep up with was obviously too quick for me and I let him go. I glanced down at my watch to see what time I had ran the second mile in.It was blank, I had failed to press the button correctly. I gave up on the stop watch idea and reverted back to GMT.

At five miles I was really struggling with the pace and felt rubbish. I calculated that if the race had set off on time I had ran the 1st 5 miles in 29 minutes. This spurned me on, but more importantly I stopped trying to race people around me and started to relax more. My running improved and it felt easier. 6,7 and 8 miles felt much better. I have ran this race a few times before and never have liked mile 8 to 9 but I pushed on and even caught another runner up. The last mile was a case of just hanging on but I felt like I was catching people up.

Club mate Alan M storming around

I crossed the finish line and asked the guy who was right behind me what his time was, he said "59.48". But I still couldn't be sure if I had managed it.

After collecting my bag from the holding room and had a quick shower (they are actually quite big) and then went outside to wait anxiously for the results to come through.

Again a good turn out from Eden Runners, who this week have fielded three teams for the Pennine relays in January. For a smallish club, quite a achievement.

Bumped into Steve Angus, who had also ran the race. He has only started running  2 weeks ago after a stress fracture had stopped him running for 10 weeks.
He was 11 minutes behind his PB for this course.
He still managed 64 minutes tho!!

Steve Angus. Gobbing off no doubt.

Finally the results came out and my time was 59.46

Wonder when the two Stevens are going to step up to the Bob Graham Round?

Big thanks to Micheal Pluckrose for the photos. ( with the use of Stevie A's camera)