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................!!!
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................!!!
