2012. Year in review

It's Christmas. Draw a chair up to the fire like these lads and I'll tell you all about how the year 2012 was for me. Yes, I know it was Olympic year. Sadly I never hit the dizzy Olympic heights again (there is nothing new there)

After a quiet Xmas period 2011, I resolved to do 1 x Fell or MT run for every month of the year. I thought this was a stretching but achieveable target, and would mean i'd have to get back to a reasonable level of fitness. There was a lot of choice of races, plans were put in place, training was written and re-written on post-it notes..

The year kicked off with the Blymhill 10k. This was a nice multi-terrainer, a little like the Bells of Pattingham, quite fast in places, and of course in Jan '12 we were in the middle of a drought (yes, hard to believe, isn't it?). My favourite things? The mad Grand-National start, also wheeling downhill at about half way, and there was a nice bit through the trees too. It was a cold day and what I remember most is the cup of tea I had in the village hall (ta Mike) and the weird blue beanie buff thing we were given as prizes. I'm still not sure how it goes, I might go and get it out of the drawer and have another play in a bit.

2nd race in was the Shifnal MT 10k. Not too much MT in this one, but a rollicking fast finish last mile downhill nonetheless. Things were looking up. Training was going better, and ambitions and sights were being raised..

..only to come crashing down to earth on a snowy, icy Stourbridge Stagger 10mile course. I agonised for ages before deciding to run then spent the next hour or so regretting my decision. Oh, well. At least I survived in one piece.

A spot of ill health (a recurring theme in 2012) put me out for a few days but I was happy to make the trip down to Weston Super Mare for the Tough 10. It was a lovely late Winter's day, but the edge had gone from my training and I was also suffering a little with a sore knee. The course promised much, with a stretch along the famous 'goes on forever' beach before climbing up into the local woods and a couple of laps before returning to the town, but I struggled with my sore knee and underperformed massively. Still, dinner was nice and it was a great day out.

March went by in the blink of illness (again) but I had enough in the tank to manage a reasonable run at the Grizzly Cub run, which turned out to be on one of the few 'proper' Summer's days of the whole year. If only I could keep the training going for a few weeks without breaking down..

..next up in the blink of an eye, the Exe to Axe relay with Dave. It was an occasion when it all went right. Even my troublesome knee behaved itself on the steep downhills. We were a little apprehensive, following last year's effort, but we needn't have been. I was in good spirits and managed to take a remarkable 15 minutes off our time from 2011. The 10-mile (each) MT event proved to be the high watermark of the year though, perhaps for both of us, and there was much pub talk of my attempting a solo in 2013. Of which we should talk later..

After a few days chillin' in Cyprus I entered the Telford Sexarathon road series. I rather fancied I could roll back the years and place in the top 5 age-groupers. Alas, no. The rain at Lilleshall 5 miler was a foretaste of the monsoons to come. I was left floundering in the rain and gloom. Back to the drawing board.
May brought better health - but laced with sharp knee pain. Nonetheless, I braved the pain, kicking off with a very enjoyable, though wet,  run at the Sheinton Steeplechase, a new one for me, and then adding to my new experiences with a run at Bollington 3 peaks race, though in my haste to get home I missed the free beer and meal. Oh well. at least I know now! It was a smashing little run, but the knee was hurting a lot by now though, and my speed was restricted. When the Phoenix 5km came round later in the month it was no more than a painful trudge round the fields of Dawley. I don't know why, but I persuaded myself it would be a good idea to enter the Wenlock games trail marathon at this time, though with hindsight, the prospect of several hours of agony was never going to be pleasant. I rounded off the month with another less-than-adequate performance at the Shropshire 4 miles. The feeling of not being able to sprint out at the finish was quite horrible.
June - and I was bravely banging in the long runs. I even ticked off the Hutchinson Way, laying an old ghost to rest. If only I could shake the sore knee, if only it would magically come right. In between the 20-milers I managed to fit in a short blast at Shugborough relays, but the old speed was well and truly gone. A decision, an inevitable sensible decision was made, and I was out of the marathon. I was part gutted, part relieved. I engaged the services of a physio and started over again, again. I did have time to fit in a very sedate Wenlock Olympian 7 miles race though and also the club handicap, neither of which were my finest hour but I was still getting out through the door.
August was an Olympics-watching and a rebuilding month; some holidays, some running, and surprisingly, some swimming, for I had entered the Ludlow Triathlon in September. This was a new departure and brought me back to some early mornings standing in the shallow end of the pool, waiting for the punishment of the next half hour. Oh, deep joy (literally) :) The build up continued throughout September, though i did venture back on to the roads for an extremely undistinguised Harper Scarper 5km. Best Forgotten, but a lovely course.
The Triathlon at Ludlow was another high point of the year for me. I just managed to keep it all together for long enough to not be embarrassingly bad - and I enjoyed it to boot! I just about had enough energy to get into October and the Newport duathlon where I was rewarded with a significantly better performance than in 2011. Things were looking up, maybe if I could get some training in between now and xmas it would be ok in 2013?
No.
23rd October may yet be a significant day in my running career. I broke my 'streak' of 21 years at Pattingham to line up for the FRA relays at Church Stretton. Although it was a brilliant day out, it was an extremely tough run for me. 2 months later, I'm still unable to run, due to a mystery illness in my stomach but who knows? Hopefully I'll be back soon.
So, on the whole, the year started with promise but was blighted more than ever by illness and injury, and I have finished 2012 in a far worse state than when I started it. There still were some highlights though, but overall I'm well and truly on the downward spiral. Age, injury and illness conspire to keep me out for too long and I don't seem to be able to get a decent block of training in.
Assuming I can get going soon in 2013, my targets must include Exe to Axe. And I keep mentioning Man v Horse too. One day................!!!

Favourite Runs 11-20

Now, the thing about this list of runs is that you may not know some of them. A few are really local and obscure, a few don't exist any more. A couple haven't existed for years!

List 11-20 (again, not in any order)

Newport (Shropshire) 10km (old course)

3 Laps round the town. Always fast, hard work. Cobbles. THAT never-ending finishing straight. PB time.

1500m races Crystal Palace, Antrim, Meadowbank, Cardiff, Exeter, Alexander, Barnsley, Portsmouth..

Lumped all of my track races together. I was very lucky to race on some great tracks and even luckier to get on the podium for one of them (Alexander Stadium) . Happy days!

Shifnal 5 miles road race

A very under-rated race round the streets of Shifnal. Flat, but nowhere to hide. Fast out from the gun, just hanging on until the estate at the end and the big finish (sort of).

XC Elmdon, Solihull CSSC

My first ever cross country as a senior. Made up the numbers to begin with, but over a period of years I eventually brought home my one and only gold medal for running. Tough, flat course... and far too many laps, as I remember!

Broseley 5 miles road race

Tough, tough run on May Day. Start and finish from the Village Green. Prize for the first person to the pub and ...I was second. Damn.

South Staffs Half Marathon

Great half marathon. Rolling hills. I always treated it as the start of the Autumn season.

XC CSSC Richmond Park

What a pleasure and honour it was to take part in the Civil Service National Championships at Richmond Park, among the deer. We even got changed at the Bank of England Sports Ground.

Potteries Marathon

Great run, hottest day of the year, my Mum & Dad came and saw Stanley Matthews start us off. Ooh those hills. And biscuits!

Manchester Marathon

2 weeks off with 'flu and I lined up for the Manchester Marathon. I was glad I turned up. Best marathon performance ever. Brilliant day.

The Tour of Tameside

Actually 6 races in 7 days, with the travelling up to the area thrown in for good measure. The races were on the roads, fells, cross country and canal paths. The distance was a double marathon. What a wonderful experience - I was totally exhausted at the end of the week.

So there you go. I was even thinking of changes as I wrote this!

Favourite Runs - 1-10

Dave told us he had a list of his favourite runs. That set me thinking. In 20 years I've done a lot of races, been to some places, met some faces.
That sounds a bit like a song...
...Anyhow, in putting the list together I umm'ed & arr'ed and some came in some came out, I know I'll never come up with the same list on two consecutive days.
So, here goes, 1 -10. No Particular order - no way could I rate them individually!!

Rivington Pike

Iconic 3.5 mile fell race from a pub in Horwich. 400 people did this on the 50^th Open Year Anniversary. Me too! It's just up, round the top, and brakes off, brain out to the bottom, with 400m or so on the flat to finish.

Trentham 10

Have done this a few times. It's a two-lap road race with a monster hill in it. It's usually on one of the hottest days of the year. Good atmosphere from the village of Tittensor. Titter ye not.

World Masters Fell Championship

My “..and England” moment. In 2005 I travelled up to Keswick for the WM Championship. I got to rub shoulders with some of the great & good, and though I wasn't at my best, I wasn't last. Fairly tough climb up & down Skiddaw though no technical descents were involved.

Buxton Half Marathon

Tough race; first time out it was on a Saturday night. Steep climb up Axe Edge followed by a steep drop, then a climb, then a longer descent back to Buxton. Stunning scenery.

Colmore Scamper 6 mile road race, Bridgnorth

6^th place – my highest finish. What a hard, hilly race this was. It was all descents and climbs - with the toughest being in the last mile which was a climb back into the town. Pub afterwards was always nice!

Belmont Winter Hill Fell Race

Done this one twice. Classic little Northern Fell race, with a small fayre in the village, welcoming pub etc. The race comprises a couple of tough climbs and then some bog-trotting with real bogs.

Welsh Castles Leg 7

Leg 7 of the WCR from Dolgellau to Dinas Mawddwy is one big mountain. Spectacular - and once over the top of Dinas, there is still such a lot left to do before you get to the village. Had a top run there once!

The Grizzly

Because it's one of the few races that has completely floored me. Upon completing my first Grizzly I was so exhausted. Tough run, especially that beach bit and also the slurry bits.

Wrekin 10 mile road race

Much-missed classic of yesteryear. Snaking climb, good descent, then you just hang on. And that bit round by the farm never seems to end. Finished 11^th one year - and passed out another year - and failed to complete another year. It was always feast or famine.

Race The Train

Deceptively tough. Great going out...so hard on your way back. Have taken a few tumbles in my time... and I was so close to beating the train. Loved the atmosphere and the trip to the ice-cream factory afterwards.

11-20 are in the next post.

In the gloom and the dark.

Well, I'm Back outside. 2 painful miles at sunset. Leaving aside the pain issue, what did this first outing for some weeks teach me?
I turned onto the disused railway line in the darkening gloom. Agh! no lights. I had no headtorch either. No worries, I'll be walking in a minute anyway. It was dark, but not cold. There were puddles across the path. I don't remember all that much rain? Careful now, mind the tree roots across the path (at the speed I was going, the chances of a fall were pretty slim).
The darkness creeps up. All I can see is the last knockings of daylight on my right. All I can hear are a few birds, the babble of the brook, the farmer locking up his metal gate for the night, and spot on time, the 5.00 train from Shrewsbury clanging along. All I can smell is the sweet smell of gently rotting leaves, damp wood, wet grass and woodsmoke somewhere over there on the left. I like this, I like this a lot. Pretty soon I'm back on the road into town, soon I'm back dodging the cars and the cyclist with no lights on. Soon, I'm home. But on the whole, I'm feeling ok. I'll have a go at this again.

Wild? Go wild in the country..

While I'm not running, I've taken the opportunity to help out at a couple of local races....
....One of those was our club's outing to the local Cross Country league.
It's been a while since cross-country runners were required to run semi-naked and vault stone walls (...it seemed like a nice picture though..) but that doesn't mean it's not tough, just, er, a wee bit 'safer'.
So, the Cross Country was at that hot-bed of athletics...Stafford. You mock, I hear you mocking. But to anyone who knows anything about cross country, Stafford Common is the stuff of legends.
Two facts I know about these hallowed acres. One, it's so damp, no-one has ever expressed any desire to build on it. Two, its near the Evo-Stik factory. These facts may be related in some way, draw your own conclusions. Actually, it's not far from the prison either. I'm sure it's lovely in the Summer, unfortunately we never go there in the Summer. The weather is always suspect here when we arrive to run.
We pitched the Club tents on the only piece of ground not waterlogged, but first we had to clear a space between the pedigree cow pats (the common also seems to be 'home' to a herd of rare breed cattle).
Cross Country in this league is inclusive; that is, there are girls and boys races, there are women's and then the men's race rounds the afternoon off nicely.
The kids are funny; there is a mix of dead serious, can't be bothered, and slightly embarrassed at being there in the first place. The keen team managers are there to show us that pushy surrogate parents aren't exclusive to football. It's quality effort by everyone though, the poor kids are often bent double in the finishing tunnel. I don't think flapjacks make ideal warm-up food.
All the facilities you ever need are at Stafford. A single portaloo AND a tent where you can get a cup of tea. Just like home (...if you live in a field with a portaloo, that is.).
The 2012 vintage mud was truly ikky. One of our boys lost both shoes shortly after the start and ran the whole race bare, well, sock-footed. I wouldn't fancy rinsing those off in the sink, probably a bit of a lost cause :)
He wasn't alone - several shoes were lost during the afternoon. One imagines 'Time Team' visiting in the 22nd Century and trying to make head or tail of what they might find at the bottom of the mud pit.

Everyone, without fail, was muddy. Even the spectators. Some were muddier than others. Some went A over T into the mud, others just settled for the basic Face-Plant. I was surprised to see one chap wearing jogging bottoms which, after 3 laps were pretty damp and grimy, but if you haven't got any shorts what are you going to do?
Even the winner in the men's race fell over on the last lap. But he was so good, so quick that he could have stopped, washed it all off and popped over to use the roller towel in the portaloo while he was waiting for the others to catch up. That's the thing about Cross Country though, it brings you all down to the same basic level, and if you do well, you've earned it. There's no such thing as a 'lucky' race.
It was a fun day in Stafford. Cold, mucky stuff. As nice as my new friends were on the finish line, I still wished I was running. I realised today though it's going to be a really long, hard road back.

things to do

While laid up injured again, thoughts are turning to what I would like to have a go at next year. Some randomly-generated thoughts:

(1) Ironman. Are you crazy? Quite apart from the training required, it costs a screaming fortune and given my flaky attendence record at these things it would be a waste of money.
(2) Half Ironman. More likely, but still unlikely.

(3) Triathlons. Hopefully I would like to do 3 or 4 Triathlons next year. To do better I need to swim better. I swim like a brick.

(4) Fell races. I'd like to do more now I've got my knee problem to a manageable state. But I need to practice the downhills to avoid being just embarrassing.

(5) Road races. Well, I've seen Snowdon marathon but I haven't seen any others I'm interested in. They will come though.

(6) Known races. Grizzly and Exe to Axe. Beyond that, maybe the Man v Horse?

Book Review

Eat & Run
Scott Jurek.
This book stayed in my rucksack, unopened, for two weeks after I had bought it(!). This is usually the mark of something I don't want to read. Oh-oh...
I was wrong though. It's a good read.
Scott is a vegan ultramarathon runner. His mum had MS, as does Mrs J, so it got off on the right foot with me, triumph over adversity, that sort of thing. Scott had a hard upbringing, making him into a tough runner. The book covers a lot of his races, including 'the other side' of the Copper Canyon race made famous in 'Born to Run'. I particularly enjoyed this bit, it was nice to get his perspective.
At the end of each chapter, Scott provides us with his own recipes. Part of me bought the book to see what if anything I could make. Sadly, I'm a bit confused, I don't know half of the ingredients, nor do I have any idea where I might get them from !!
If anything, Scott under sells his book. He is clearly a talented runner but perhaps he's so good he can't always stand back and articulate just what he has gone through. In some passages though, such as his Badwater marathon, it is very graphic and you can imagine yourself there (if that was at all possible).

Scores on the doors - 7/10. Would recommend it. Not quite as 'In Yer Face' as Dean Karnazes.

Colin

Colin passed away a few days ago.

I first came across him as the organiser of the Works Relays, dwarfed by a big board of results in the Rugby Club. Very serious, very focused.
I saw him at a distance at the various races, he was one of the 'greats' at TAC but sort of in the background.
And then he joined our running club. He said it was because he fancied a change, he didn't want to be competitive any more, he wanted to enjoy his running...
...it was clear from the outset that he could cope with anything we threw at him with ease. He was always on your shoulder on a training run. He was equally at home with absolute beginners as he was with those at the 'sharp end'.
We ran together at the Wellington 4 mile race, I hardly knew him. I kicked for home with 400m to go and left him in my wake "If I'd gone a bit quicker, you wouldn't have got near me" was his gracious reply :0)
He claimed he was past it; he loved to tell tales about the old days when training was brutal, but he was never condescending towards us. I remember him training well one Winter though and he stunned us with a fabulous time at Chester - I think it was 1.21. We just didn't believe it!
He was the complete Club man. He would turn out whatever the weather. I remember us both getting changed back into wet kit on a cold day at Sutton Park for the second legs of our relays. Brr. No complaints from Col though. We turned up once at Aldridge airfield on the coldest of cold days, he looked around the school gym, swore quietly to himself and just got on with it. It was the same when we went to Gloucester for the cross country, we both had a great run in the mud that day, round the abandoned fridges in the dip..
He went down in club folklore one training night after an accident with a young lad on a bike. He was bashed  right in the forehead and there was blood everywhere. But, plastered up, he was back again. One tough cookie. Then there was the night he had his shorts on the wrong way round, stepped off the path behind a tree to change them in broad daylight (the tree was thin, Colin was thinner, no one could see him)
..I only ever saw him tired once, at the Pontesbury Potter. We'd been out for hours, it was cold, it had been snowing, we had come down off Pontesbury Hill together. I was knackered, I'd done all of the navigating. He turned to me and said "How much further you reckon Al I'm really tired now.." He still didn't stop though, we dragged each other to the finish, in true Alf Tupper stylee..
He loved to do those long Sunday morning runs out near Kemberton. Get in a group with Col, and he would look after you no matter how slow you were or rubbish you were feeling.
The last 4 or 5 years I hadnt seen much of him, my last real running memory was when I was running Silkin Way top to bottom. I got into the Telford Town Park, feeling a bit rubbish, not looking forward to the run down to the river much, when he appeared from behind a tree....although he'd been out for an hour already... he ran all the way down to Coalport with me. He was great company, and when he'd delivered me at my destination he disappeared again into the afternoon. Boosh! Just gone..
I knew he was ill. But you never believe it in one so fit, you always thought he'd make a comeback one night, looking as pale and wasted as ever, ready to run the legs off you "till you tasted Iron in your spit". But sadly, no.
We paid our respects at the church, all runners brought back together, some after many years apart. We saw Col off on his last training run. Watch out for those kids mate!!

You run, you walk, you crawl. Then you go again.

I joined Newport to get some new adventures.
One of the new adventures was an appearance at the FRA Relays, held at Church Stretton.
Regular readers of my moaning & whinging will know I am an unbalanced, irregular but devoted fell runner, having competed since the mid-90s and I've been an FRA member also since that time.
So, when the relays came up, it seemed like it was too good to be true. National relays, big event, just down the road. When would I get the chance to do this again?
I was not in the peak of fitness, to be fair, though I had taken part in a triathlon and a duathlon in the preceding weeks. Should be enough, I reckoned, to get me round.
Oh, boy. It soon sorted me out and showed up how unfit I really was.
I was teamed up with Ian who is a genial chap. I figured out he would be waiting around for me a fair bit; so did he because he took his mobile phone with him to take a few pictures!
We were on Leg 2 of the Relays, which has since got a fair bit of press about being really hard. I'm sure it was hard, but how it was harder than a Lake District or Scottish or Welsh run I don't know. As I usually strut my stuff in the Peaks it compared fairly well.
To the race: We waited and waited for our leg 1 runner to appear at the top of the hill, eventually there he was, large as life. Yikes! we were off, and straightaway up and out of the Rectory Field, ahead of us we could see the runners walking up Ashlet. Blimey. No shame there then.
We got up on to the plateau and climbed up the road to Pole Bank in good order. By the time we were off Pole Bank I was going well, but ever so slightly worried about the next bit. Ian was bounding along..
We skirted Round Hill and Minton and then took a sharp drop to the stream below Callow. Ugh. The climb up Callow almost finished me. I worked so hard, I was on my hands and knees. Knackered by now, the skirting round Grindle and drop into Ashes Hollow went by me in blind acceptance. Every step was a trudge towards the fast-disappearing green vest in front. Once I got down into the valley agh no! back up Ashlet. This time I used the fence to haul myself up. Ian was surprised I was right with him here.
Off Ashlet for the last time, sharp drop into the valley for CP5. I hit a muddy patch and came down on my arse. But it didn't hurt by now....We picked up the pace in the last half mile and narrowly finished in front of the Mercia Ladies (B ) team but what a great day. I was absolutely battered.
Big thanks to Ian for dragging me round. Maybe next time I wont be so slow :0)

...let my mojo go...

September drifted into view. Days got shorter, the sun got weaker, there was dew on the car in the mornings. And my mojo went, too.
Events this past month:
North Staffs Cross Country
It was the 1st Cross country of the season and it was miles away at Winsford, which I thought might be a little quaint place in the country but turned out to be a much bigger place. No running for me as I took my place as Newport's team manager for the day. We had 3 youngsters out, 3 ladies (needed 4) and 6 men. They all ran fabulously, the course was flat & fast, one of those where you complain about it not being muddy enough but one where you run almost as hard as you do on the roads. For some reason I had no pangs of remorse whatsoever about taking or not taking part. If this is all I do, the roll on the next one!!
Ludlow Triathlon
Of course, the stated reason for not doing the cross country was that I had Ludlow Triathlon the next day. It was my first Tri since 2008 and I had bought an Aldi trisuit especially. The day was cloudy & cool but just about stayed dry. The swim: tough as I expected it to be, all style went out of the window by the 2nd length and it was just horrible. The bike: well, I thought it was ok. I was never overtaken and I overtook all those people who had come out of the pool before me, which is a result really. The run: never more than steady but it went by really quickly.
The tri suit held together and I really enjoyed the day, what a pity its the end of the triathlon season now :(
Newport Duathlon
1 Week later and I'm at the Newport Duathlon. It was cool and misty but I knew it was going to warm up so I risked the t-shirt rather than extra clothes.
Run#1 - this seemed to go ok, fairly steady plod rounf
Bike - as usual I enjoyed the bike, I was thinking about Run #2 though..
Run#2 - Last year, there was walking. Not so this year. Ran from start to finish, though it was hard graft.
Overall, 2 minutes quicker than last year. A PB!
Will my mojo ever come back though?

End of Summer Season - Harper Scarper 5km

I've left it a few days before writing this little paragraph. Bit lazy, really!
The last Sexarathon series race was held this year at Harper Adams University College, replacing the much-loathed Madeley Matchmaker 5km. The Madeley race had to go as the Court Centre Sports Centre has also gone. Sad in some ways, but probably not missed much.
It was a beautiful late blue-sky Summer's evening. The old and new buildings of the college shone out in the sunshine. Here and there groups of young people were gathering for small sports events on the fields, or out working on the crops (HA is an agricultural college).
Here and there the older people were gathering for the race.
We too got together in small groups, comparing injuries and expanding waistlines, checking on series points, avoiding eye contact with our deadly rivals (well, maybe not the last one), warming up, stretching, diving into the fields for a pee..
Being a lovely warm evening in the country, there was that warm, sweet smell you get from field crops.
We made our way to the start and the field of about 200 were soon making their way out into the countryside, along a narrow lane before turning out on to a wide and undulating farm track. There was a short road stretch before a half-mile in the woods and back in the way you came out. It was over as soon as it began, really. Nothing too strenuous, nothing too hilly.
It's a shame I couldn't complete the whole series due to injury but I'll be back next year, I think I might have a new favourite little race.

Ageism in sport

The Olympics and Paralympics were very good. Very, very good indeed. Let's hope they do "inspire a generation".
But I've got a small point that's been niggling away for some time now.

Why aren't there any serious 'games' for older people?

Both the Olympics and Paralympics are about excellence, the Paralympics also about the triumph of the human spirit over adversity perhaps. But aren't these the same sort of arguments that can easily be applied to older athletes? Substitute "disabled" for, say "60-year-old"?

Some would say older athletes have had their day and should move aside and help the next generation. That's fine if you have had a fulfilling career but what about those who came into sport later in life, and what about those who don't just want to jog about or play badminton or golf socially.(I'm picking sports at random, don't take offence!!). Older people are often tough and resourceful, and can perform to a surprisingly high level. We can all be deadly serious about our sport. Many is the time I've had a sobering lesson in a 10k or half-marathon from a 60+ year old as they run me into the ground.

Youtube, and the rest of the media from time to time come up with stories about "100-year-old marathon runner" and clips of 80-year old sprinters, and they are all done very tongue in cheek. Turn it round, substitute "disabled" for "80-year-old" and it's not so easy to snigger or be as patronising.

UK Athletics is very ambivalent about older athletes. They are all very well getting involved in RunBritain, they are encouraged to get involved with coaching, yet when UKA realised they were paying for over V35 category medals in the FRA Championships they promptly backed out their support. This is not inclusive at all.

Similarly, we often get stories like this appearing in the press. Let's all have a laugh at the middle-aged blokes who want to get back on a bike. Mid-life crisis, blah blah blah.
Climbing off my bike on Sunday after another few hours in the saddle, looking at my sweat-stained kit (from Aldi) and my dirt and grit stained bike (£475 back in 2004) I'm not jealous in the slightest. If it gets more people on bikes, good luck to them.

Ageism really is one of the last frontiers. We should encourage older citizens to compete if they want to. We shouldn't ridicule them. We should look to follow their example. We should be inclusive to all in our society and we should be "Inspiring all of our Generations".

wimmin

Tri training has begun - Swimming at the local pool.

Now, I have to say that in previous years I HATED swimming. I would never go swimming on its own, I only do swimming as part of Triathlon "training".
"Training" is a loose term I use to describe the struggle to complete 400 metres of so in a pool before hauling myself out and getting on the bike.
Before taking on my first Triathlon (2004) I could hardly swim at all, but somehow over a few years, I acquired enough skill to tough it out. Amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it.
So, I checked the old diary and found that I hadn't been 'proper' swimming since 2008. Lounging around in the pool in Cyprus doesn't count, mate.

Hopes weren't high for yesterday's debut session. Just keep going, try not to look too much of a prat and when you need a rest, take a rest. My advice to myself.
But it actually turned out ok. I was slow, but after a fashion I completed enough lengths and I hadn't stopped midlength gasping for air or spluttering as per normal. I did have a funny moment where I dived to retrieve a ring which turned out to be a cracked tile though, but that's what getting cheap goggles does for you :-)
It was so good, I went back THE NEXT day. As both of these sessions were 7am this made it even more impressive. In session 2, I was able to complete the 400m without stopping and in fact I did another block of 400m. I really enjoyed the swim, too. It wasn't quick but who cares? Now I know I'll get round the triathlon in one piece :0)

Jelly Belly

Found this to fix ma jelly belly
Core H video

me. marathon runner. lapsed.

Why did I enter the London Marathon Ballot? What was I thinking?

I looked at some race training schedules today and to be honest, I was scared and baffled all at the same time. In years gone by (aka “the Golden Age”) I wouldn’t have looked at anything like that, I would have just gone and bashed out the miles, and well, the results are there for all to see. And laugh at.

But now I’m older, and presumably wiser. And I’m well out of the game, too. Recent efforts to train for the Wenlock Marathon aggravated some long-term injuries which I’m only just getting over. The memory of my sitting at the roadside with 3 miles still to go, holding back the tears of pain, on my last long training run will live long, although I now think it’s “funny” and “character building”.

So how the hell to I get from where I am now to, where I would like to be? Some realism is called for here. In my head, I still have the potential to run under 3 hours. My body though would probably give another opinion, if asked. I looked at one sub-3 schedule and it said “race 5km, 18.45/ run 3 miles in 18 minutes” in week 1. Hmm. It’s been a while since I ran sub-20, never mind a sub-19 (see my ‘training diary’ post earlier, that will tell you).

On the one hand, even if I manage anything like the training I did before, then surely I will get the same results ..at best. I’m probably better aiming for the Good For Age time of 3.15. But in my defence M’lud,  I can run quicker than sub-3 pace (6.50)…but just not for 26.2 miles.

The theory goes, it’s just the stamina that needs building up, so we can maintain the speedy pace over a longer distance. Yes? We’ll see. I am clearly barking mad. And delusional. Only an outright rejection by Virgin London Marathon is going to save me. And I’ve got a feeling that ain’t coming this time..

And while I’m on. This GFA (Good for Age) malarkey is a load of tosh. If I was a lady, all I would have to do is to run sub-4.00. But as I’m not, it’s sub 3.15. That is the standard for everyone from the age of 41, up to the age of 59. This seems an extremely harsh call by VLM, no doubt it’s an attempt to keep as many extremely un-photogenic 50-somethings in varying states of undress and distress off the streets of London as possible. And for that, I suppose, we should all be grateful.

got mah training diary right here, right now.

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with the blog post. Its Mick & Marc (I think) cheering Lord WIggo on to victory at the Olympic Time Trial. 



Great Days..




..I have kept a training diary for 20 years on & off. More on than off.

Other than to tell me when events have taken place (e.g. the Anywhere 5km fun run) and what my time was, at first glance it seems like it has served little purpose. I mean, who wants to re-read 17 entries of “4.5 miles steady” for the month of May 2007?

There have been times when I have stopped altogether for a month or so, when mr mojo has truly deserted me. There were also those times when I tried to record my efforts in some other way (step forward, Excel spreadsheet). These didn’t last too long though, although I have recently gone back to using the excellent Fetcheveryone website training log, more out of convenience and a desire to join the unofficial training league than owt else.

The real value to me though is two-fold; firstly, stepping back from the day-to-day stuff and look at weeks/months, you get a picture of a particular ‘block’ of training; what sessions were involved, how many speed/ hill sessions, how many long runs, how many off-road etc and, with any information gathering exercise, patterns start to emerge. Not accounting for decline over the years due to age, given no injury or illness issues and if I am the same running weight, over a similar time period, the same training *should * produce the same results.

The best example of this is that I have, over a 7-year period, after 3 month’s training (Jan – Mar) of on average 45 miles per week, much of which was 5 – 7 miles run at tempo pace (in a group) with few if any specific speedwork sessions, with one long, slow run at the weekend ranging from 12 – 20 miles, peaking with 3 consecutive 20 mile runs (one or more of which was a race) I could near as guarantee a 3.20 – 3.30 marathon run anytime after that during April or May. Put your money on me, folks.

Of course, looking at the cold stats now, it’s easy to say that with a few more longer, quicker runs to replace some of the tempo sessions and also more longer runs at the weekend I would have turned the 3.20 into more like a 3.00 but given the time constraints I had I was very much on the limit, and it was a remarkably consistent set of performances.

But it’s also easy to pick out smaller blocks of useful training; from 2010/11 I know that two months’ worth of steady run + speedwork or hills + 8ish midweek + longer at weekend (av 35-40 mpw) (most of it done alone) is going to get me low-40 min 10k and a place in the Cross Country team. Whoopee! I have a recipe for (relative) success !

So am I going to carry on with it forever? Will it be like the classic outbursts of angst you see in Ron Hill’s famous diaries? Probably not..

“1^st September 1973. Got up early. Seem to have a broken leg. Ran 20 miles steady in plaster. Doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it might”. (..I may be slightly misrepresenting the great man here :0)  ).

Olympic Trip #2

Photos from 2012 Olympic Marathon are here  Enjoy!!

The ramble of Training

Summer.
Should be a good time for training, yeah?
Well, for some reason, call it Holiday-Olympic-Cantbearseditis or whatever, it's bloody tough.

You'd like to think I'd come back from holidays all fired up, but it's been a bit sporadic. Probably not helped by this knee injury stuff either.

Last week's results were poor, to day the least:
My speedwork session was a bit poor, I usually run 1.8k out and back with a minute's rest. It's slightly downhill going out and I was reasonably happy with 9.45 but the return leg was 10.20 which is a new low. However I know this is a baseline and things ought to improve.
The Dales Dash on Thursday was a bit weird, with Dave dipping out of the main route, leaving Mike to set the pace; I was 3 minutes down on my usual time, having gone out far too quickly, and by the time I got to the big climbs back from the river my legs had gone. However, one great thing; I tried on my knee support strap for the first time ever. And it was amazing. Ran downhill, quickly, pain free. Maybe things aren't so bad after all.
Friday saw me back in the gym, setting new PBs on the treadmill, bike and rower in a desperate attempt to work up an appetite for the chippy.
I entered Ludlow Tri (End September) with Mike and also Newport Duathlon (7/Oct) and so I need some bike and swim miles. Kicked off on Sunday with 30 hilly miles round Cressage, Sheinton, Ironbridge.
So, to sum up. Sporadic. But at least I'm running.

Olympic Trip #1

We set out from home at early o'clock to go down to That London to see the Olympic Marathon. It was the last day of the Olympics - and we just couldn't get enough.

We were SO early, we got to Stanmore before the tube started running. While we were waiting, Alan almost had an accident while slipping off the toilet seat (not fixed. Yay. time to crouch),

The platform was dotted with volunteers and spectators all off to the games, it was a time of quiet excitement. Co-incidentally, Dave had planned our route so the Tube took us right into Westminster and our proposed standing area, right opposite Big Ben, so no changes were needed. This was good, all coming together at the moment...

a picture of the others in the Kenyan Supporters' Club

We were quickly adopted into the group of fans on the corner and treated like lifelong friends!! We guarded our spot jealously, as the early morning joggers, runners and cyclists took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go on the traffic-free roads, the signs were still being set up, the streets were being cleaned etc.
We were 'adopted' by the Kenyan supporters and generously given some shirts and flags (well, Mike blagged them really) and we had to promise to support their man. This left us in a quandry as we had also promised to support the Spanish, Irish and our brave lads from GB (and Guernsey) - but what the hell, we had time for everyone.
While all this was going on, the Japanese were busily making their own banners, painting themselves up and devising new ways of getting themselves onto the TV. Of course, we dispatched someone to join the fun..

Pretty soon the streets were clear... and the security guards were in place. We befriended Boniface who was a smashing bloke, from Kenya (of course) and Dave delighted in telling him about his Arsenal fandom, where he was hilariously denounced by another Gooner fan..
..'I was at Wembley in '71 when they did the double'
...'So was I sir, and I can safely say I don't recall seeing you there'

The helicopters, the photo crews, the motorbikes announced the arrival of the race...

And the noise... was.... utterly fantastic!
Being at Mile 1 also meant we were near Mile 9, 17 and 25 - so we were able to see the race develop. Apparently we were on TV at 17 miles :-) I shall sign autographs if required.

Here's Scott Overall (GBR) at 9 miles.

He was going really well here and we had high hopes he would carry on through the field, but it wasn't to be.
Mike disappeared at this time to the floor, in search of food. While this was happening a midget tried to take the oxygen from him by leaning on top of him to take photos. He was swiftly removed.

As the race developed, the group behind us changed from Kenyan, to Dutch, to Italian, to Mexican. They were all there for the craic.
Team Ercall Kenyan Stompers continued to cheer everyone on, all the little countries who had sent their best runners to pound the streets in the hot, hot sunshine. Costa Rica, Lichtenstein, PRK. The Lesotho man managed to stay in front of the broom wagon. Just. Forza!
What was amazing from a running point of view, was that even the stragglers were knocking out 2.30-2.40 marathons. Some stragglers. Puts our efforts into perspective.
We tried a two-man Mexican wave for a Mexican runner (Dave wouldn't join in..) and we even got the Koreans to smile and give us a thumbs-up.
Eventually, sadly it was all over. We said goodbye to our new lifelong friends and set off for the tube home, to be followed by getting lost in the Northamptonshire countryside in search of a pub which had changed its name, where in our Kenyan shirts we were then treated like celebs. But that's for another day.

AVR

Well from now on, the Stompers will be associated with the Axe Valley Runners. There is no logical reason for this save our trips down to the South West from time to time, and also because it is so bizarre it is right up our street. Oh yeas, and they didn't charge much. And they are a bit mad. As I am about to misquote someone "There will be a corner of Shropshire that will forever be the Axe Valley".

Prize Winner

Wenlock Olympian Triathlon,
July 2012

Mike celebrating a 3rd MV60 place.

Looks like a good day's work!!

The Olympics, Old Father Time, the Rain....

15th July. St. Swithin's Day. If it rains today then it will rain for 40 days and nights. Oh, blimey.
It's also the main day of the Wenlock Olympian Games. The Wenlock Games are acknowledged as the modern forerunners of the Olympic Games. Oh yes they are, stop arguing at the back there..

<--This is William Penny Brookes. No doubt he had us in mind when he thought that "every grade of man should have opportunities to become mentally and physically fit". (snigger)

Much Wenlock was heaving on Sunday with people, cameras, TV cameras and more people when we turned up, ridiculously early - or in good time, depending on your point of view.
Mike was taking on the Wenlock Olympian Triathlon, so we went along to see how a real athlete went about his business. Dave & I decided that, due to our injuries, the 7 Mile Road Race was the extent of our efforts and that was going to be tough enough,  thank you very much.
We cheered Mike on to a stirring effort which at the time of writing we believe to be 3rd V60. The wall of Fame on the right-hand-side will be updated as soon as we know for definite. YAY!
And so to the Road race. My own knee was a bit sore and Dave was complaining, well he was just complaining really, as is his want.
Eventually, at 12.30pm we kicked off, the route having been shortened by some 300m due to the sports field being a bit boggy. Soon we were out on to the road and this was all going swimmingly, even more so as we splashed through a few puddles on the way. The road up to the Wyke took it's toll out of Dave though and I stood on the top while I waited for him, having a little chat to Scott who had ridden out there on his motorbike to come and see us.
We got going again ...but it was clear that the hills were taking their toll on my mate's venerable legs, with some long slow climbs becoming long, slow runs, but eventually we were on the road back down into the town and our speed and spirits picked up. Phew. Because there were so many folks around, it felt like a really special atmosphere running through the town, and I thought Dave might have saved something for the final hill (I was  wrong).
Do you know? they've sorted out the trail to the back of the Gaskill Field now.. no longer mud, it's really rather nice. I waited up here again for Dave and we ran in together to a large crowd, a well-deserved Olympian medal and some jelly babies :0)
Later celebrations/commiserations/post-run analysis continued at HQ over a pint. What a blissful day, and no - it didn't rain............

Telly Excellence

Two items this week:

(1) Comrade Alan's venture back to Newport for the Summer Handicap. This was always going to be a big ask, with rickety knees and a general lack of fitness, but sometimes you have to take advantage of a glorious Summer's evening sunset as, well you just don't get many of those, do you?

The course was as tough as ever. I think it's quite tough. Run up from the Wheatsheaf Pub, turn up the drive to Lilleshall Hall, turn off along Pitchcroft Lane before taking in a loop of fields near Sheriffhales, whcih brings you back onto Pitchcroft Lane, then there is another loop out towards the A518 before picking up the old Church Aston lane back to the old A41 & the Wheatsheaf. Anyhow, the old legs kept going quite well but there was never much under the bonnet and I was always scared the jabbing pain in the leg would return. Not so. Whoopee! It was a painfully slow time but there was a fair bit of water about. It would seem that Sheriffhales now has it's own Lake District. I couldn't catch many other runners, I suffered the indignity of being asked if I was last (I wasn't) but I didn't mind really. A useful step on the long road back. (2) It's the run up to the Olympics (are we going to get prosecuted for using the name?) and so the telly is positively bristling with sporting programmes. I've seen the excellent Michael Johnson presenting one on his theory that Black slave descendants have made the quickest runners due to evolution. Good theory but the programme was I thought a little stodgy and could have been wrapped up in half an hour. The BBC's series Stronger Higher Faster has been excellent and from a running perspective the shows on the 100m and the 1500m were a real treat of archive running. My favourite this week though has been 'Born to Run' about the Kenyan running boom and looked at just what the secret might be. Turns out it's a combination of living at altitude, really hard work, a need to succeed to get away from poverty and some inspirational coaching from Brother Colm O'Connell.

Dave_stomper

Pictured before a recent Tuesday run, Comrade David posing for the camera in the Club kit.
Impressive, eh? Rather inevitably, it was raining, rather inevitably it was humid, rather inevitably David had too many clothes on so this meant a stop and a kit change half way round. Sigh.
However, on a happier note, the beer was good.
As I'm writing these few words, I'm thinking about the physio exercises and the next run. July will be a rehabilitation & training month for me, but I'm hoping to be really back by the Autumn time, suitably fit, well and inspired by the Olympics. Until then I'm working hard on the road, in the gym and with the Theraband and the Tennis Ball :0)

Cooper testing #1

So, Comrade Mike goes out in the Monsoon that is the English Summer and has a crack at this Cooper test thing. After a warm-up, you give it yer all for 12 minutes. Turns out his stats were rather good. 2220m - not bad for a v60. V02 max = 38.1 . Considering it wasn't actually ideal weather, the lad's done good :)

Out

Sports News: I'm out of the Over The Edge Marathon & on the injured step. Visit to Physio soon. Oh well, more time for me to paint the bathroom door and play the ukulele. No, honest.

A testing time

You cheats.
You big bloody cheats.

When I was at school, you promised me no-one would have to work any more, all our domestic chores would be done by robots, our time would be our own, we'd be able to go on holiday to the moon, we'd all have personalised jet-packs and there would be monorails everywhere. I especially liked the monorail thing.
what happened?
I don't know, but as a natural optimist I'm still waiting.



So, anyway, what do you know about the Cooper Test? It's all here and basically you run as hard as you can for 12 minutes. This tells you 2 things as far as I can see: (1) you can work out your VO2 max (2) 12 minutes is a LONG time when you are flat out. Comrade Dave has brought it to my attention as a way of training us up to take on future challenges. If we do, I shall take pictures, but I warn you - they won't be pretty.

Things to do when you're not running

I was looking on the internet for 'weird sports pictures'. Don't ask why. But anyway this one made me laugh.

Injury Corner
I have got a sore knee. In fact, it's been sore since the last big run a few days ago. What really made a bad situation much worse though was cycling to-and-from Shrewsbury on Tuesday.

The tendons at the top of the knee are revolting, the knee itself is behaving like an Austin Allegro having been yanked into a handbrake turn, and if you bend it on to a certain spot, OOOUUUUUCCCCH. I think I need some of the magic mushrooms, maaan. So I'm in a strange netherworld, now. If I was a proper athlete, I would be up at the expensive physios and all activity would be suspended until I can return to peak performance level.
But as I'm just an average bloke who likes running, and because there is an attractive event coming up Next Week, and because I have done some training - not much, but enough to get round, I'm still pondering whether or not I toe the line at the Over the Edge Marathon. Give it till Tuesday and then we shall see. Present odds - 70% chance I won't be there.
The Gym
I decided I needed to work on those other parts of my body, so I joined the local council gym scheme. I was partly seduced by the fact that all the gym equipment is brand new, and after having made a few enquiries it seemed like a good deal. So off I trotted on Thursday to seal the deal, and on Friday I pitched up for my first session. Having gingerly eased my way into the gym I went first of all for the familiar option; the running machine. I fired it up, and set off without understanding the calibration, due to my clunky leg I didn't seem to be going very fast and in fact I wasn't - somewhere around 10kph, plus I could see how badly I was running in a full-length mirror. Oh, dear, that wasn't good at all. After I while I decided I was warmed up, so switched to the bikes. These had the advantage that I could tinker with the TV buttons and so completed 5km while watching Ninja Warrior. After the bike I progressed to an old favourite, the indoor rower, where I knocked out a couple of fairly easy 500m reps. I'm not aerobically unfit, it's just my flipping leg. To the weights!! I tried all the weightstations, kept the weight low as per previous knowledge and managed to get out in one piece BUT two days later the Abductor/Adductor machine seems to have taken it's toll.
In Ercall Stompers news, no plans as yet to get the numbers out for a run. Current plans include the Cat & Fiddle cycle Sportive in October and the Little Stretton - Stiperstones Time trial in November. But there must be more, we can't waste this Summer !!

A well deserved rest.

Ahhharrrr. A man's gotta chill out sometimes. And so my Inspiration and I went out on the MS 'day out' to Blists Hill Victorian Town. Highlight of the day... was a pint in the Victorian pub, in the sun, sadly not at Victorian prices though!! It was nice after the long run of the day before. I'm struggling with a sore knee at the moment.

of Relays and long, long, long runs (for me)

I shouldn't do these updates on a Sunday morning, I'm sleepy and my brain is like fudge. I'm writing after what has, in terms of running, been a tough week for me. Not the training - well, not solely the training - but more of the motivation for running. I'm desperately in need of a change, the training is getting me nowhere and I'm getting slower and slower and more frustrated over it. Highlight of the week: Tuesday night's 8 miler. Sun, warm, a lovely trip round the Wrekin and the Ercall all performed at a reasonable lick (well as much as I could manage post Hutchinson Way). I wasn't able to do much better at the Shugborough Relays though. The days of me tearing round in 11 minutes seem long gone. I found it difficult to motivate myself, I got it into my head it was just a trot round and that's the way it turned out. When I wanted to put a bit more in, I put down the pedal and...nothing. Let's hope this is a temporary lack of form and not "the end" in sight. Roll on to Saturday and the long-dreaded 20 mile training run. That is 2 x big runs in 6 days. I decided to make it up as I went along, so I meandered out of town and eventually found myself picking up a bit of last week's route before diverting into Telford Town Park (not impressed - fences everywhere - looks really tumbledown) and on to Stafford Park and a long meander before making it to St. Georges. Thankfully it was a big downhill from there as I was already in the red zone. The last 3 miles were done from memory! So that's it now. No more long runs before the marathon, if indeed I do the marathon. It's going to be an extremely hard day. Hopefully I can fit in a race next weekend as a warm up - before that it's Ironbridge 4 miles and I'm just hoping I don't put in another lame performance.

Old enough then?

Blimey. Merlene Ottey is bidding to go to her 8th (EIGHTH) Olympics at the tender age of 52. And not in some sitting down sport either, she is, if you don't know, a sprinter who famously represented Jamaica back in the day and who now represents Slovenia. Well done, girl.

The Hutchinson Way, way, way

The above picture is the route profile for the Hutchinson Way footpath, copied from the LDWA site . The footpath is described as 17-18 miles or rural, urban -type of trail. I've only tried it once before; tales of me failing and sitting, sobbing gently on the base of Lilleshall Monument are dotted around t'internet. I set out this morning, slightly apprehensive but eager not to repeat that sad event. Ok. So the run starts at Wellington pool, but quickly climbs up to the Ercall and then climbs some more into the Limekiln Woods before crossing the golf course and then deeper into Limekiln Woods before coming out at Short Wood. First minor problem here when I was confronted by a barbed-wire fence, thankfully I was tall enough to get over with negligible damage. The next bit took me past the travellers' camp at Lawley before getting on to some tarmac, going via the Rock and eventually pitching up at Telford Centre. It's quite surreal being away from it all in one minute then running past the cinema and office blocks the next. But all was going well. The next bit was via the railway station and up to Priorslee and the Flash (pool), here's where the leaflet/map proved to be a bit rubbish and local knowledge took over. How you can find the route just using the map, heaven knows (more later on this!) Once at the top of Limekiln Bank, it was down the hill and into the Granville Park, along the trails again and across to Lilleshall over the fields. All was going well, maybe I should have quit then. Oh, hang on, that IS where I quit last time! I knew I had to be on the Incline, I knew where I was but I insisted on following the HW map/directions. Bad move. Not clear signage left me climbing another fence, then stile, then struggling across a field of Oilseed Rape (thankfully not in flower) until I got to another grassy field. Easy? no. the grass was knee-high, my feet were soaked. Eventually I got onto the incline and picked up the more familiar path along the old canal, scaring the sheep, feeling good. This path soon became almost impassable too though, being overgrown with brambles, scratching my legs and reducing me to a jog/walk/stumble. Eventually I made it back to the woods and some running relief. The map then directed me on to the A518 and then up Pitchcroft Lane (nasty touch, definitely an unnecessary climb) before crossing more nettles/ long grass and crossing the A518 again. On the other side I could almost taste the finish but the path was completely overgrown and I soon found myself stuck in a long grassy field and then lost. I retraced my steps and decided the best course was to go into Church Aston and pick up the trail there. From then on it was easy, though I was a bit tired I was soon trotting down the High St. I realised the finish was on Stafford St. Car Park so a quick detour via Waitrose was called for! Stats: 18.64 miles, over 3 hours . 3.33 on the clock, but considerable time taken up with detours and some walking/falling over. Had no problem with the distance though. The course is, to be honest, very contrived in the final few miles, poorly signed and poorly maintained. But it's done now...!

Lost

Getting 'lost' when you sort of know where you are is one of the little pleasures of running in company. What I mean is..when you know roughly where you are, and in what direction you should be travelling, but you've never seen that trail, path, hill, hedge, brook before. And so you discuss where you think you are; you agree that you're along the right lines and decide on the next little bit together. Sometimes it works out and you get a little high from your cleverness; quite often you are wrong, so your route needs adjustment or occasionally backtracking. Tonight was one of those nights, a fairly straightforward Stompers run out of the Dale but we got lost somewhere in Lightmoor. Lightmoor for goodness' sake. It's not the Lake District is it? Two decisions, several stiles and some nettles later, and we were running across someone's lawn -ok, it wasn't quite as bad as it seems, as it was a right-of-way but it was a blooming nicely looked-after one! Anyway, we worked out way through the rain back to the sanctuary of t'pub. Lovely stuff :)

Small catchup and it's almost year zero again.

After Granville 4ml (see below) I pulled my left calf. Completely self-inflicted, due to overdoing a stretch. That's the last time I listen to Facebook advice :) Then a few days off with chest infection/inflammation have left me missing 2 x long runs training. So I guess it's how well I get back to it which will decide for me whether the Marathon is on or not. In other news, Ercall Stompers now have their own LiRF (Leader in Running Fitness). I'm not a gun for hire, more of a training plan-cum-hi-viz jacket for hire. I noticed this weekend it was the Welsh Castles Relay. What a great event that is, 20 legs over 2 days. Good for cameraderie/banter and usually either good for sunburn OR a soaking. Or both - Wales can be like that! Also it was the Man v Horse Marathon, in Llanwrtyd Wells. Here's the MvH website. Don't know whether Man beat Horse this year, but I really fancy a crack at it next year. Failing that, there's always the Bog Snorkelling or even the Bog Snorkelling Triathlon!

Granville Colliery/Shropshire 4 miles

description: 4 miles, 2 laps+ round Granville Country Park, Donnington Wood, Telford. A multi-terrain route. time: 28.12 stuff: Granville is close to where I grew up, and also the site of my family's homes at the turn of the 20th Century. Today it's part woods, part reclaimed land, part tidied up and being steadily encroached upon by housing called 'Muxton'. There you go that's the history lesson. it's a lot prettier now than when I was a kid - though nowhere near as much fun! the race: it was a hectic start before the first of 3 climbs up Granville road, which proceeded a long descent down the lane to the Muxton farm/ Shropshire golf club complex, where the race then picked up a trail through the woods back to Granville road. This big loop was done twice, with 3 climbs of the hill in all. My legs, weary from a tough week and a long run at the weekend, gave out on the 3rd climb and as a result I was unable to muster anything other than a feeble challenge on the run-in. But the result does represent progress of sorts and I'm sure there is more to come. Next race in this series is on 27th June at Ironbridge, where by tradition it's either really hot or pouring with rain. Onwards!

unseasonable England

I love the warm weather; I love going for a run. You put the two together and I'll moan and whinge though. This week's long slow run was out and back, 16 miles, and it was about 25 degrees, not a cloud in the sky when I got back. All the energy drained out of me and the last bit was a struggle, as you would expect when upping the miles slightly each week. A worrying thing was at the halfway/ turnround point I had a really bad pain in the back but thankfully it went off once I got going again (or it was masked by the leg pain!!). I'm not convinced that long slow distance over a course with overall climb of probably less than 20ft is the best preparation for a hilly off-road marathon, but it's the best I can do at the moment. Missing the Hills though, I will be back soon :)

it doesn't need a title - the picture says it all

And so marathon training begins in earnest with a 15 mile slog around various communities making up part of the borough. The roads are long, with many a winding turn. This author is apprehensive about the challenge of the marathon, having not completed one for 11 years, but I'm under no illusions that I can get away with minimal training and "it's all right to walk". I want to do my best.

You need to be an orienteer to get round Dawley

This picture is taken from the pit mound that dominates the skyline near Dawley's Phoenix school. In days gone by we would run - well, crawl, really - up the hill during cross-country races. Now it has its own Orienteering course round it. Actually it's quite pretty these days. Phoenix Flyer 5km has a long history - well, the name does. It's been part of the Telford Sexarathon series for years now. In the olden days it was a tough challenge round the streets near the school, running flat out while avoiding kids, dogs, dogshit, buses and cars as well as other runners. But eventually, 'elf and safety took charge, and the race moved on to the fields. This coincided with a fall in numbers which has thankfully been reversed now - there must have been a couple of hundred out last night. Good stuff! The race is one small loop of the sports field, then 2 larger loops of the sports field plus 3 adjoining fields. It's reasonably flat and almost entirely grass, and last night it was pretty good going. I started sort of mid-pack and finished sort of mid-pack with 21.07 which is a pb for me in this age group though the distance was a bit dubious, garmins coming up a wee bit short but I suppose it being MT it would normally be slower. Swings and roundabouts. Nice to see the great Jonathon Pierce out & about and he won a spot prize (but couldn't spend it as he was in a hurry). So that's Phoenix. Next up in this series - Shropshire 4 ml. Now it gets serious! In other news: I have had my entry for the Wenlock Marathon accepted. Gulp. In other other news: Dave met up with our chums from Axe Valley Runners and did their handicap run. 27.54 for 3.6 miles. No details yet of how much beer was drunk in celebration..

from the pen of Imelda

The recent trouble I had with my splooshily new Innov8 shoes left me thinking about running shoes in general.

They're too dear, we should run barefoot. Except we can't run barefoot because the roads hurt our feet. And not all of us can run barefoot anyway. There, that's my contribution to the great shoe debate. Moving swiftly on (as we must) the Innov8 are the latest in a long line of lamentable off roaders I've had in my time. I began with a pair of Hi-Tec somethings, which were like the old Silver Shadows with what felt like fitted crossplys. They were a bit rubbish but I managed to donate them to Wilko who never throws anything away and so probably still has them somewhere. I was then talked into buying a pair of ETA racers, "because they are in the sale" from Bourne Sports. I remember these as being made of cardboard with felt uppers, though I was able to get a few good multi terrain runs out of them before they fell apart. Bourne Sports was also the scene of the next shoe crime, the "Felldancer". It looked the part, it had some tough old studs but boy was it a hard shoe to wear, there wasn't much flexibility in there and after a fell race your feet felt like tinned meat. I began to look adulterously for something else and stopped off briefly at the Saucony Jazz Grid trail. Great shoe - until you wanted to run through any wet mud. Sort of ruins the whole point, really! I did acquire a pair of Walshes for a tenner from TK MAXX - they were white and blue but otherwise ok, they were without doubt the best shoe to date. It was just those colours though! Having not had enough foot misery, I then tried the 'shoe of the moment' the Adidas Swoop. Looked and felt the part, except I kept slipping in them and even worse, my feet were quickly blistered to youknowwhat. Agh. I decided to bite the bullet and so handed over readies to Mr Walsh for some of his finest PB trainers. I bloody loved those shoes, they took me up hill and down dale. Eventually they went to shoe Valhalla after a particularly tough and muddy Leek cross country. I was happy to fork out for a replacement pair though which saw me through another couple of seasons. After a while though those little studs became even littler and by Dec '11 i was a slipping and a-sliding all over the hills. I looked around and spotted the rise of Innov8. Worth a go? seemed a bit dear, but when I got them out of the box my gaze was immediately drawn to the crampons - sorry - studs on the bottom. To date - one race, and one blistered heel.

Route 66

What? a blog about bikes? on the Ercall website? Look, Mike did 107.1 km on the Route 66 Cycle Sportive organised by the Nova Raiders CC yesterday. Which is a big effort by any stretch of the imagination. Good stuff.

3 Peaks Fell Race (Bollington version)

There is Snowdon, Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike. The 3 Peaks. Or, Pen Y Ghent, Whernside & Ingleborough. The 3 Peaks. I went to picturesque Bollington in Cheshire to do Kerridge Hill, White Nancy (pictured) and Nab Hill. The 3 Peaks. Bollington was almost impossibly pretty on a sunny Saturday in May, with a cricket match in full flow on the green and a lovely babbling stream beneath an impressive old viaduct. And a local Brewery, with it's own pub opposite. And some gorgeous woods, and...well, you get the picture. It was nice. To the race. The race started up on the viaduct which I'm assuming was once a railway line. Very impressive. We then worked our way onto a canal towpath before picking up roads and tracks. Most of the early running was flat and quite good to ease the stiff driving muscles into action, but soon we were climbing up narrow footpaths which brought us onto the first hill, Kerridge Hill. Once round the trig point, there was a steep grassy descent into the valley where I lost places as usual due to my lack of fell training. We were soon climbing back up onto the ridge though, we had to traverse a diagonal climb back up to White Nancy, where there was again another sharp drop to the valley floor. Once we hit the road there was a bit of roadwork through a housing estate before getting out onto Nab Hill. Round the trig, and the descent was fast and runnable, we also did a little more road work before getting back on to the towpath again and back to finish next to the cricket field. Came in just under the hour at 56.30 which was ok, I didn't push it much. Biggest issue was the blister I have rubbed on my right heel caused I think by my new fell shoes.

Trail Marathon Madness

After a lot of um-ing and arr-ing I have decided to enter the Wenlock Over the Edge Marathon.

There are some reasons for this. Firstly I'm inspired by by friend Art who has just completed 100 marathons (see earlier post). If he can do 100, I can do 13. Secondly, its only a few miles from home. Thirdly, it's Olympic year and it's in the Wenlock Olympics, inspiration for the modern games. Fourthly, and most importantly, it looks like fun. It's going to be tough though but hopefully the sun will shine and I'll finish with a smile on my face!

East Devon Way Relay 2012

We won't be doing it. It was due to take place this weekend, but has been cancelled due to lack of interest. I think we broke it last year. We. Broke. A. Race. That is all.

100 marathons.

So, knee injury has come back to haunt me again. Sharp pain under the kneecap, depending how I land the foot and usually on a downhill slope. It goes away with rest, but rest I don't want or need. However, it is aggravated by my being so stiff - so I can do some work on flexibility. In other news, a friend of mine has been inducted into the 100 Marathon Club. It is, by any standards, an awesome achievement and one which, for me conjures up several loosely-connected thoughts. Firstly, it's proper 'old-school' running. The members of this club aren't chasing places in London, nor are they great charity fundraisers. They are just as likely - in fact more so - to turn up at a race involving just a couple of dozen people, in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but friends and long-suffering family members as support. In that respect they are the latest in a long and honourable British marathon tradition. For example, I used to work with a chap who told us of his exploits in the Liverpool Marathon which had fields of 30-ish and which finished in front of the Kop on a Saturday afternoon. If you dig through archive photos of the times, you may find fading snaps of strange, skinny men running through traffic accompanied by nothing more than kids on bikes. It really was a different world back then.

There is also this obsessive, completist eccentric trait which is classically British. Record collections, label collections, book collections, train numbers, football grounds, real ales, you name it, we've got it. Running 100 marathons fits in well here too. I think you have to take account of all the travelling too. Running 100 marathons means you have to travel to 100 starts and they are all over the country - and other countries, too. I think you need to be determined and organised. Finally, you have to recognise it as a sporting achievement. It's 2620 miles, for goodness' sake! Also what drives a man to recognise that he may not be quick enough to challenge for honours in any single event, but he can change the game completely by being the last man standing. So Well Done Arthur, take a bow. What an awesome achievement.

Sheinton Steeplechase

Sheinton, near Cressage, has a strange name, was mentioned in the Doomsday book, and has a really stiff road climb (if you're on a bike that is) going through it. That has probably exhausted my knowledge of the place, sorry. It is, however, pretty damn pretty. Anyhow, they put on a race there every so often. I thought it was every year, but there have been gaps. I had a trip out there, and for the princely sum of £5.00, you get an old-school paper number (..glad it wasn't raining) and a lovely tour of the local countryside. This was a 3 1/2 -ish mile trip round local farm tracks, through fields, someone's garden (we were warned), alongside streams,

through the obligatory water splash (pic thanks Al Tye) and over several stiles before meandering through the woods, across even more stiles, over even more fields and finally spilling out on to a track... near a road.. near the finish. It was quite a tough and muddy little cross-country run, as all the best ones should be. I have no idea how well things went for me, but I came away feeling slightly disappointed with my efforts. On to the next one..