Highlights,Lowlights and Aims - Hello 2017!

Firstly, I apologise for lack of blog action recently, One of my New Years Resolutions is to update it more frequently (but not too often, I don't want to bore you all to death!). Secondly, here is a brief round up of 2016 followed by my aims for 2017.

Highlights of 2016
There have been loads of highlights, when reading back through my blog posts I find myself going - ooh I loved that and I want to do it again!  Here is a (very) condensed list of my favourites...

• OMM Ambassadorship
• Running Snowdon
• 5k, 10k and half marathon PBs
• Hathersage Hilly
• This blog!
• Biking ladies - making new friends and (hopefully encouraging others)
• Learning to front crawl - thanks to Super Suzie!
• Equinox 24
• 2nd Place in the GVS Championship (Ladies category)
• GVS Fell Series Champion (Ladies)

Lowlights..
There haven't been many, but if you asked me during any of the races I would probably tell you it is hard and I am hating it! But these were the actual lows...

• Falling off my road bike - self explanatory! (although improved my riding no end)
• Cheadle 4 - just not a great race, reinforced my dislike of road racing - won't do it again
• Ankle injury and weakness - Went over on it at Longshaw Trust 10k, created a weakness - bugger
• Winter stomach bug preventing me doing the 3rd MACCL race and kiboshing my training!

Some 2017 Aims..
This is not an exhaustive list!

• GVS Fell series - defend my title (eek, I wanted a no pressure year!)
• Some of the Hayfield series fell races (short, hilly ones!)
• The Slateman (as part of a mixed team "The High Peaky Blinders")
• Grindleford Gallop - OK so I said this year I wasn't going to do any races I didn't enjoy - i.e. anything over 10 miles, road races, etc.  I then took the challenge of entering the GG (it is notoriously hard to get a space and fills up quickly) damn my competitive streak - got a place in the first 6 mins, now committed to do the race.  Balls.
• Another triathlon (sprint distance) and definitely the Hathersage Hilly again
• The Grindleford Goat (the longer "Billy" course this year)
• Improve my Mountain Bike Orienteering skills!

And I think that's it, although more will be added frequently no doubt!


In the meantime, I have the 2nd Trailquest event with Dark and White Peak events this Sunday, with teammate Caz, followed by XCountry at Kenworthy Woods on Saturday 14th January.

Perhaps the most exciting thing happening in 2017 will be the introduction of a new family member/running partner, a four-legged kind!  She hasn't even been conceived yet but, if all goes to plan I will have a canine training buddy to run with in 2018/19! Canicross here we come!

Training will now be aimed at the Grindleford Gallop with longer hilly runs in the fells and testing out my new Garmin watch and turbo trainer!

Happy New Running Year!


TLF

Histio Ride, Tissington Half and MACCL #1

Since Equinox I seemed to have hit the ground running as it were - two days later, I took part in a charity road bike ride for the Histiocytosis charity.  A friends little boy was diagnosed earlier this year out of the blue after falling and breaking his arm, Xrays showed up a mass which was a concern.  His parents were wonderful and took it all in their stride and started fund raising for the charity.  

Our ride was just a small part of a John O' Groats to Lands End baton journey which saw teams of families affected by the illness - along with their friends and communities, transporting the baton in a range of ways - by bike, on foot and on skates to name a few. You can read all about the Team Isaac story and donate here. 

Our ride went from The Beehive pub in Combs, High Peak to the Tissington Trail at Parsley Hay.  I devised a back roads route which would keep us off main roads as we would be riding at night.  On the night the traffic from Whaley Bridge to Combs via Chapel Road was very fast and unrelenting.  We decided on a last minute route change and headed off from the pub up Castle Naze, which to anyone who knows the area is a jolly big hill! 

My team - representing Team Isaac - consisted of Mr A (Chris), Caz, Glenn, Helen, Jac, Brian and Claire.  We covered 31.8 kilometres with 668 metres of ascent.  The conditions were near biblical - it poured with rain and howled with wind as the light went from the evening sky.  I was freezing! Fortunately, we had friendly faces to meet us at Parsley Hay in the form of Alex and Fred from the Bike Factory who kindly brought vans for us and the bikes and Sara and Lee (with Isaac and Heidi) who came to accept the baton, cheer us in and take photos!  It was tough but for an extremely worthwhile cause and everybody put lots of effort in on all the stages, I was proud of our little team that night! 


As far as running was concerned, I was happy to have stayed injury-free post Equinox and started pacing and upping the miles for the Tissington half Marathon.  After a 15 mile training run and a 10k at just over race pace - I was feeling worried as I found it really hard both mentally and physically.  

Brian Holland - Winner Men's Vet Prize

As anyone who knows me will know - I don't like distance running, it definitely isn't my "thing".  It's not that I'm rubbish at it or anything, I just find it mentally as hard to endure as physically.  I entered the Tissington Half with the aim of getting a 1 hour 45 minute time (and because it was a counter in the GVS championship series) this would be 6 minutes quicker than my PB (I have done one half marathon before in 2015 - the Stockport Trail Half) and as Tissington was billed as being slightly downhill I was hoping to get that new PB.  

On the day I was very dubious, I needed to hold an average of 4:59 minute kilometres to make 1 hour and 45 minutes - a pace I had never held for longer than 10km before.  At the start I hung back from the other GVS ladies, I wanted to run my own race and thought the chip timing would be accurate so it wouldn't matter.  I paced myself well and was surprised to be holding an average of around 4:47 for the first 5k.  

Ladies team haul

Striders and friends before...

Somewhere around 7km there was a slight change in gradient and my pace dropped slightly to the 5:00 minute km mark.  I was trying to avoid letting it get any slower than that and rallied to continue at around 4:45 - 4:59 minutes.  I passed my friend Lesley and had another Strider lady in sight - Mary, she was holding a good pace and as I came alongside her she had a massive spurt and surged ahead again.  Pleased with my continued pace I carried on as I was.  It was lovely seeing supporters, including my sister and her puppy Dotty, at various points along the way.

Striders and friends after

Near the 12 mile mark I started to feel tired, Lesley was just behind but I had reeled in Mary, in the last 2 km Lesley and I broke away and managed a great sprint off with her just pipping me to the post!  I was so chuffed with my time - I managed to finish in 1:42:22 which put the GVS ladies as winning team of three - Sally and Julie both finished a couple of minutes ahead.  I was so pleased, mainly because it was over and I wouldn't have to do it again! 

Just before Tissington, we had a weekend away in the Lake District where we managed to sneak in a trip to Whinlatter, Chris and I both had a go at the Altura North Red route MTB trail.  I endured it but found that it was at the limit of my technical capabilities and I suffered a snapped chain so had to run the final 3km.  I enjoyed all the uphill (I know, I'm weird!) but nearly came a cropper on a few of the drops.  On further inspection Pearl needed fairly hefty work doing to bring her up to scratch again, including a new headset, a new front mech and rear cartridge - basically a couple of hundred quids worth of work on the gears eek!  My bike is a bit like the broom which has all the parts changed!  It is at least the original frame!

Looking like I was enjoying the cross country -
what I was actually enjoying was the fact
I was about 5 yards from being allowed to stop!

The first counter in the Manchester Area Cross Country League (MACCL) was at Wythenshawe Park - this was a new venture for the Goyt Valley Striders and we fielded a ladies team of 5 (4 times to count) and a men's team of 4 (we didn't have enough to count as a full team - six were needed).  It was pretty different and very like school cross country!  There were lots of professional looking people in compression socks and spikes - the really fast looking women had bare midriffs!  Lot's of children were taking part with coaches yelling direction at them from the sidelines - it was a world away from the casual fell races we are used to - especially the terrain - flat grass surrounded by blocks of flats, not exactly beautiful!

The course was a 3 lap 8km consisting of one shorter lap and two (very) long laps.  It was really disorientating and hard to describe, there was no mud and it ran fast on the good going.  I think it was the first race I have ever done where I didn't pass a soul.  I must have started in the right position for my ability because not many ladies passed me either - although some did! I have to say, at the time I hated it.  I hate the flat, I hate the distance - once again I found myself thinking "what am I doing?" but as soon as I finished I decided I would have a go at the next one - I have been promised mud and hills.  Bring it on.

My next race was another counter in the GVS championship - The Longshaw Trust 10k - It was certainly eventful!  The course was a 2 lap of the Longshaw estate which is very varied, from moorland to single track and rooty woodland.  I started off well until disaster struck and I went over badly on my left ankle - my first ever proper injury! I hobbled a few strides and was commiserated by a chap who checked I was OK.  After running a few strides I decided I was OK to carry on and my ankle pain subsided.  Unfortunately my calf began to get a stabbing pain with every footfall and I realised I had probably strained my leg.  I ran through it and decided I may need to retire after one lap.  

About 1km from the start of lap 2 Julie fell over right ahead of me and Amelia.  She too had gone over on her ankle but had fallen heavily with it.  She got up and carried on running but we could tell it was sore.  I decided if Julie retired after 1 lap then I would too.  Amelia has already romped home with the Championship title so it was only Julie I was competing against really.  

Julie being hard as nails decided to carry on much to my dismay but I was feeling OK and felt like I had energy to ignore the pain and keep on running.  I stuck with Julie, deciding I would see how I felt in the latter stages of the race as to whether I made a break for it or not.  Julie was obviously in pain and struggling as soon as the terrain got rough and sure enough right where I had injured myself on the first lap, Julie went over again, this time shouting out in pain.  I did what I would do for anyone and stopped to help.  Julie decided to try and carry on but she was much slower paced after her second fall and I left her to it.  I warned the next few marshals that there may be an injured strider coming and carried on with the race, as much to get the pain over with in my own leg as anything else!  

As I crossed the line some of the male striders and some of our supporters were there and looked concerned that I had blood on my arms, "Oh that's Julies blood" I said thinking to myself that sounded odd and like I had killed her and left her in the woods or something!! I explained what had happened and she came in not long after - I was amazed she had managed to finish at all!

The following week was half term and I rested my leg for four days - it was very sore and stiff around my ankle and all the way up the middle of my calf muscle, but by day 5 I managed a steady 5 miles and it felt fine. On day 6 I did Clumber parkrun and was pleased with my second best 5k time of 22:40 - 4th lady and 26th overall out of 233 runners.  
I am now looking forward to Dovedale Dash this Sunday, which promises to be a bit different!  I am currently sat here aching after a Roaches Fell Race recce yesterday which was 8.5 miles over nearly 550m of ascent! followed by a brutally brilliant Pilate's session today plus a hilly MTB with the girls this afternoon.  Hmmm, what shall I do tomorrow - I know - hill reps!  Great idea Anna!  

Until next time - happy running!

TLF 

Equinox 24 - Endurance Race

Team WB (Post event debrief curry!)

It was with a slight sense of trepidation back in 2015 that I agreed to make up part of a large team entry for the 2016 Equinox 24 hour race.  Once again coerced by Amanda, I decided it would be fun, and with 8 people on the team, it would be totally doable - run a 10k lap, have a rest, run another, have a rest... 

As the event loomed, I was worrying quite a lot about my loss of fitness over the summer holidays - not to mention the 7lb prosecco induced weight gain - oops.  During the week before the event I didn't have too much time to panic as it was back to school and new routines all around.  

Team mates in "Team WB" consisted of Aidan "the IT guru" Grant, Amanda - "the organisor" Skeldon, Dane - "Ironman" Stanley, Caz - "ac workwear" Whittle, Connor - "tallest man I've ever met" Lomax, Sally - "long stride" Kaill and Julie - "onemorelap (with a blister)" Rundall.  

Caz looking strong at the finish 

Living up to their organised reputations Aidan and Amanda did a sterling job of creating a rota of run times for us all to work from.  It wasn't an easy task as a) during the first team organisation meeting we all got pissed (the bike ride home through Whaley Bridge with Caz and Aidan was utterly hilarious though) and b) we all wanted different gaps in between laps.  After a second - more productive team meeting - everything was arranged - from run rota to who was bringing what and travelling with who.  


On Saturday 17th September Connor collected Caz and I at some unsociable hour (after a very unsettled nights sleep  - thanks to Amanda pinging our Equinox messenger group in the middle of the night to let us know she had insomnia) and off we went - loaded up to the hilt. 

 The event was being held in the grounds of Belvior (meaning "beautiful view" but pronounced Beaver - because the Anglo-Saxon population was unable to pronounce it and it stuck - unfortunately! Castle in Lincolnshire near Grantham.  The journey took around 2 hours and on arrival we found Amanda and Dane looking freezing at camp WB as the rain had set in.   

Sponsored by ac workwear.com

I was very envious of their Dryrobes - a long garment designed for swimmers to keep warm and dry between swims.  Connor was so envious he went and bought a Swimzi (same idea as Dryrobe) and this was also a bonus for me as I followed him on two of my laps so I was able to wear his (floor length on me) Swimzi while I waited for him to arrive!

Lap 1 complete! 

After we set up camp and everyone arrived (bar Julie who came a bit later), we cheered Amanda off on the first lap of the 24 hours. 

 The atmosphere was great with teams cheering people on and the run in was very long - about a kilometre lined with tents and people cheering and watching.  

The rest of the time went incredibly quickly for me considering I had an 8 hour gap until I was running my first lap! I spent the time watching the others off, cheering them in, eating and trying to rest (unsuccessfully!).

At the finish of my 4am lap

Sally looking strong with her long stride!

The rota Amanda and Aidan had devised worked really well and we changed it as we needed to - Julie needed a bit of a longer rest after her first lap so we just swapped Caz in early.  Dane went out on his lap and was sick, he had been struck down with some form of man bug which was a bit of a blow as he was one of the 4 lap plus crew!  It really didnt matter in the end - we let Dane sleep through the night and Connor and I ended up going an hour earlier than planned which wasn't a problem as I couldn't sleep at all. 

My Favourite team name "Nice Belvoir"

Running in the dead of the night was really strange but actually totally fine.  The strangest thing for me was running my third lap - the only lap I did in the daylight!  It was funny to look around and think - ahh so that's where all the laughing ducks are - at the side of a huge lake!  

 "Thank you.  I've just had it stuffed"

I felt really sorry for the solo runners and small teams - the feeling of passing lots of people is really motivating, it's like being in a race where you are the fastest and you just keep progressing - the only difference here is that you can be fresh as a daisy bounding around your second lap of the course after an eight hour gap - whilst the poor sod you just passed is hobbling round their 11th lap with no proper resting (and about a million blisters) in between! It makes you feel both happy and guilty at the same time!

Julie heading for home

There were all sorts of people competing - small teams of 3-4 people, solos, pairs, and large teams like us.  Some were doing it for charity whilst others were doing it for their own personal goals.  There was even a man with a tumble dryer on his back!  I passed him sat down in the middle of the night sorting out his blisters - everyone was really supportive though and offering help.  There were blokes in tutus, people in teams all dressed the same, and even a rival team for Team WB - the Marple Runners team!  

Running in with Aidan on the final lap

Most of our team members are involved in Whaley Bridge junior parkrun, and the Marple runners are the same - either involved with Marple juniors or the Marple adult parkrun. Although they only had 7 team members, we seemed evenly matched and it became Aidan's mission for us to beat them!  They were easy to spot in their Dennis the Menace style running tops, and we had good banter with them.

Feeling and looking tired during my 3rd lap

Posing with our medals

All of our team did really well with everyone completing at least 3 laps and Aidan and Julie completing 4.  I think the hardest thing is the combination of camping and running! It's hard to stay warm when you have dried chilled sweat on your body (nice!) and no amount of baby wiping can constitute a shower in my opinion!  I was the only one who braved the showers after my last lap (think huge tanker attached to portaloo style) but it was the best thing ever!  It was lovely and warm!  In the night though I felt cold and sticky and it stopped me from getting any decent sleep.  I think adrenaline takes over too.

My essentials for a 24hr race:
- wellies! or crocs if it's dry - my birkenstocks were a big fail
- lots of socks - I ended up spending £15 on a pair of compression ankle socks because my feet were cold and I only brought enough socks for 3 laps!
- loose warm clothes for over running clothes (inc. a fleece)

Coming in after my 8am (and final) run - eyes closed already!

- diet cherry coke!
- hot chocolate/tea/coffee
- decent headtorch and spare batteries for each lap

See it was fun!

Desirables
- dryrobe
- shower between laps!
- team vests with names on

Gear-wise for the runs I wore my OMM three-quarter length running tights for 2 laps and then my Karrimor capris for my last lap, these were both really comfortable and warm enough/not too warm.  I wore my Inov-8 Roclites for all 3 laps with no problems - I changed socks for each lap.  I wore my Team GB vest for all my laps - for the early morning lap I wore a technical t-shirt underneath.  I don't sweat very much so that made it much easier!  My LED Lenser headtorch was brilliant and three of us used it!  I even lit a lady in whose torch had gone very dull! (she was fast and made me go a bit quicker so that was a bonus!).

Overall, it was a totally different experience which I enjoyed (we have entered Team WB again for 2017 so it can't have been that bad!) it was fun being part of a team and we all worked well together.  I was worried about the distance but actually having large gaps in between made them manageable and I avoided injury so that was a bonus!  I am never going to be interested in long distance running but I reckon for a weekend once a year I can put up with it and try my best!

Results are here for anyone interested in lap times. 

Thanks to all the team for a fun weekend!

Representing the Goyt Valley Striders, Whaley Bridge junior parkun and ac workwear

Connor and the girls (Julie MIA again)

Look closely and you can see the castle in the background

The magnificent 7 - (missing Julie)

A Tinkle in Wincle...

I'm not sure why I'm smiling as the thought running through my head here was "OMG this dust is bloody awful", nice photo though!

Not wishing to jinx myself or anything but I seem to have hit a bit of form lately, which is interesting as my current training schedule is very varied with most of my weekly runs being races!  In fact, some weeks I am only running once, but the run is often a race which is extremely good training.  The mantra "train to race, race to train" is so true. Caz's voice often rings through my head with this advice, as I remember saying to her that everyone who is in training for running events - particularly half or full marathons, seem to run almost every day - some people twice a day!  The idea that using races as a method of training is a good one as it makes races seem less stressful somehow.

I think that I may have hit a good balance of cross-training.  My weekly routine is currently involving one run training session (consisting of hill reps, intervals, sprints or tempo runs), a swimming session which is either breaststroke at race pace or a TI (Total Immersion) lesson with my friend Suzie, and either a MTB or road bike ride involving hills. On top of this I am racing in the summer fell series which are usually midweek races.

Going forward to the Hathersage Hilly I will try to do some bike to run brick sessions (straight onto running after a bike session) and possibly cycle to the pool and back a few times too, in order to improve muscle memory for the triathlon.

Since running Snowdon, I have competed in two races - first, the Wincle Trout Fell Race near Macclesfield, organised by Macclesfield Harriers.  This race is part of the Wincle fete which is a family event and even has an onsite brewery!  The day of the race was extremely hot and Mr A and the kids came along to support and enjoy the fair.  As a result I felt more rushed than usual and by the time I had collected my number I had no time left to go to the loo or to get my cap which I had left in the car!  

Fortunately, I carried a drink (water with electrolytes and magnesium) with me which was a real saviour, usually for a race of this distance (5 miles) I wouldn't bother with a drink, but the heat made it really hard and they actually changed the route last minute to incorporate more shade.  

The man behind me was throwing water over his head, why didn't I think of that!?

I got another good start, I'm getting better at positioning myself, and the 282 runners thundered down a dusty track to a snarly section where there were lots of stiles/gateways so I was glad of my fast start.  We wound our way through paths and trails and eventually crossed a shallow but wide river where I picked up lots of grit in my shoes.  I was however glad of the cooling water!

After another uphill woody section with some sheer drops to the left, we came out onto a moorland track.  It was so hot I could feel my body trying to super-cool itself, I felt horrible and lots of people passed me as I slowed down and contemplated walking.  I was feeling goosebumps and chilly even though the heat was intense, it wasn't a great section!

Just before my unscheduled stop!

Over a stile and onto a downhill section I started to feel better as the wind was blowing across the moor.  I had been ignoring the fact I hadn't been to the toilet before the start but it was becoming my main train of thought and it got to the point where hearing my drink sloshing around in the bottle was not helping at all!  

After a while I decided I was going to have to stop, this was not good, I have never had to stop in a race before, ever! But it was slowing me down, especially on the downhills so just before a stile I made a swift left and hid behind a bush, I let 6 men past but felt so much better it was worth it! 

With Helen at the end! 

I hadn't realised how near the end I was when I stopped, but after about another kilometre we dropped down a woody section and back onto the road which was lined with well wishers.  It was a lovely feeling running down the home straight - up until Fred threw a pint of water right in my face! I was glad of the cooling effect though and after I finished I jumped straight into the river to cool down! 

I finished in a time of 54:22 and I was 21st lady out of a field of 98.  Overall I came 118th out of 282 runners.  A great race which I mostly enjoyed, and hearing my family cheering me on was brilliant. Randomly, every finisher receives a trout from the trout farm, unfortunately ours ended up on the road after W decided to swing it around, it is now in the freezer after a thorough wash!

By extreme contrast, last weeks race was the Grindleford fell race - a BS grade race over 4.8 miles.  It was absolutely pouring down, but what a fabulous race - I loved it!  I made a good decision at the start and managed to get myself at the front, after a very quick lap of the cricket field we headed onto the road and up a lane which led to a real bottle neck of an ascent.  

As I had pushed it at the start I was knackered when we started to head up hill and I remember thinking I had overdone it and wouldn't be able to sustain my pace.  However, the nature of the path was that it was a bit of a Formula 1 scenario - no overtaking, which effectively made everyone have an enforced rest!  As we walked up the woody section I felt slightly frustrated at the pace, but realised everyone was the same (except the leaders!) and to just keep going.

We headed out onto some peaty bogs which nearly dragged my shoes off (I was praying I didn't pick up any ticks from the long reeds) then left onto a track which brought us to the Padley Gorge gritstone section.  The gritstone boulders into Padley Gorge were fab!  They are really grippy so it was possible to spring like a mountain goat all the way down into the gorge, it was really exciting and I was happy with my pace, I really pushed it.  

After the rocky section we came out near the station and had to head through some fields before the river crossing.  As another contrast to Wincle, the river was raging!  I don't think there was a rope either (there may have been but I didn't see one), I soon gave up trying to run/high step through as there were a few spectators and I didn't fancy going T over A in front of them all!

After the river there was a long field where I caught up with fellow strider Lucas who is normally really fast, he informed me he had been sick which was a shame but he did well and still got a finish.   I had a good tussle with another strider Trevor, who managed to pass me near the end, and I managed to come home first lady strider again.  I was pleased with my result of 13th lady in a field of 108, and I managed a time of 45:53.  Overall, I was 133rd out of 321 runners, a really pleasing effort!

I must mention Ben Brindley's Seven in 7, Ben is the chairman of Tideswell Running Club and has recently completed an immense challenge of running seven marathons in 7 days. As part of his routes he incorporated the Grindleford fell race and the Ladybower Trail Marathon.  I saw him at the race and felt really inspired by his efforts!  He has so far raised over £1500 for Buxton Mountain Rescue, a brilliant cause!  If you wish to donate to Ben's cause click here.

That's it for now, keep running!

TLF :-)

Recent Race Reports and Another Unexpected parkrun...

Birkenhead parkrun

We were staying on the Wirral (in? on? the debate is here, I'm going with the Merseysiders on this one!) for the first May Bank Holiday weekend, caravanning with our friends, the Grants and the Harrisons.  Aidan Grant is a fellow Goyt Valley Strider and suggested a bit of parkrun tourism - with us taking in Birkenhead parkrun whilst we were staying so close. After copious amounts of curry, vodka and a late night, its fair to say we were not expecting much, let alone a PB! 

Aidan and I running into the finish with Sue

I asked my friend Susanne to come, as I knew she had never been to a parkrun before and she lives in the area.  So, after a few text messages and a hastily printed barcode we were off!  We found there were friendly people, a great course and marshals with cowbells! (LOVE this!) The course consisted of 3 laps of the park, a downhill start/finish and a slightly uphill section near the end.  Its fair to say, even with a hangover and no breakfast - I loved it!  

At the end I noticed Aidan just ahead of me in the finish funnel, he was noticeably shocked at my presence and rudely shouted "What are you doing here!"  - a 21:23 PB with 2nd Lady out of 95 and 31st overall out of 239, 1st in my age category was what I was doing - booyah!! Seriously though, it was my best result yet, of any race or parkrun! Aidan and Sue also got PBs so it was well worth the early wake up! Link to results.

Rainow 5 Fell Race (5 miles)

Following on from the first race of the GVS Fell Series, was the Rainow 5 Fell Race.  A BS (not too steep, quite short) route, it was actually much harder than I thought it was going to be!  It was a nice Wednesday evening and there was a decent turnout of 211 runners.  

Lovely evening sky - crazed face!

Before the race with Helen and Estelle

I got quite a good start and could see Amelia - a fellow Strider in front of me, it was all uphill with a steeper than anticipated pull up to White Nancy and I managed to keep going - all be it slowly and get past Amelia just before the steep walking section to the summit.  

The next stage was an undulating and rocky ridge section which was hard on my feet, followed by some downhill into a little valley then back uphill to the top of the track which led downhill to the finish.  I ended up with blisters, as my choice of shoes wasn't the best, but I still managed 1st lady Strider again, and 11th lady overall in a time of 45:48.  I found that 5 miles was pushing my stamina so I have since been working on improving that and competing in some slightly 
longer races.  Link to results.

Hathersage Hilly Recce Ride and Run

The weekend after the Bank Holiday Amanda, Jac and I decided to recce the Hathersage Hilly ride and run routes in preparation for our triathlon there in July.  It was a beautiful hot day so after our duties at parkrun we made our way over to Hathersage, which was obviously a great idea because the world, his wife and kids were also there!  Cue busy roads and terrifying traffic!

We decided not to recce the pool swim, so we hopped on our roadies and headed off up the main Hathersage road.  I really felt sorry for Jac who hadn't ridden a road bike for years, it was a real baptism of fire!

After pedaling up the road for about 3km we started to question the route we were taking, the maps provided online were all Strava routes which were difficult to follow as the direction wasn't specified.  It turned out we had been going the wrong way up the busy road - damn! We decided to turn around and do it properly which turned out to be a good thing because it exposed us to the worst bit of the road twice, so we now really know what to expect!

After the bad start the ride was actually very nice, with a steady climb up Froggatt edge leading to the Fox Houses road.  One of the roads was very pot holey, so we will know to watch out for that bit!

We had a fantastic descent back into Hathersage, I even managed to keep up with the traffic and not slow anyone down so I was pleased with my confidence.  My "chicken lever" cross top brakes have really helped me to feel safer on Ladybird.  

Once back to the car we put our bikes away, had a drink and gel and then tried the run route.  We didn't get very far before it became apparent we were running out of time and the heat was energy sapping. We decided to call it a day and turn back, but having recce'd about a third of the route, we felt happy we were acquainted with the idea of where the transition points will be and where the run will go at first.

Swim training has commenced!

To crawl or not to crawl? That is the question!  I started going to my local pool once a week to improve my technique and swim fitness for the triathlon.  I tend to do 1000m with a 20 length tempo in breaststroke, but front crawl is proving more difficult!  Having watched numerous YouTube videos and talked to swim savvy friends, I am trying to up my stamina in the crawl.  I am finding it really hard to breathe at the right angle and to keep going.  Currently I am up to 4 lengths max of crawl before I am nearly drowning, so watch this space.  I may just stick with breaststroke!  One interesting part of swim training is that I ache in my lower stomach muscles the day after, this is brilliant news as the lower abdomen is the hardest to tone especially post children - I am thinking of continuing with the swimming once a week as part of my general training because the benefits are really noticeable and I enjoy it.

Lyme Park parkrun 

I ended up missing a long run training session in the week, due to having a bit of a virus so I decided to rest my legs for a couple of days, recover and then go and do Lyme Park parkrun, having had about a years gap since my last attempt!  I was interested to see if I would be any quicker considering my current form over flat 5k distance.  I definitely found the first hill section easier then ever before  - I can normally taste blood after that hill due to all the puffing!  I also felt quicker on the final pull to the finish, which may have had something to do with the handy tail wind! Anyway, I managed new event pb, finishing in 24:03.  I was 2nd Lady, 21st overall and 1st in my age category.  I was chuffed with that! Run report here. 

Shining Tor Fell Race - Photo purchased from JPK Photography

Shining Tor Fell Race (6 miles)

I was feeling the pressure for the Shining Tor Fell Race, probably as, at 10k, it was longer than I have been doing and I knew it was going to be hard after the uphill section, with flag stones along the ridge then a long downhill over rocky and narrow paths to the bottom of the hill.  I was thinking my winning streak of the previous two fell series races may be over... 

I was pleased with my progress over the first half, as expected, I think I must have let dozens past me on the ridge and downhill sections as my feet were hurting and my stamina was waning.   I only just made it back as 1st lady Strider, with Julie hot on my (sore) heels only 15 seconds behind!  - Mental note: I must train for longer races! 

Happily I seem to have broken in my Inov-8 roclites, so all in all an OK race but not my best - despite it being my local training ground and a beautiful evening with a stunning sunset!

Mount Famine Fell Race (5 miles)

Shining Tor Fell Race - After!

Wow.  I've saved the best (worst) for last! This race had to be the hardest and least prepared for race I have ever done! I noticed that not many Striders were committing to this one earlier on in the week, but I put it down to people being away etc.   Little did I know that they knew. They knew what I now know...

I wasn't even going to do this race due to it being on a Saturday, but I realised I would not be able to qualify for the Championship series if I didn't do it, as 8 races at least are required and my season is looking increasingly busy with various races and events.  I asked Caz about it and she informed me of an unusual start straight up a steep hill, hmm, I thought, hill start - right up my street. How wrong was I!  This was definitely an A category race.

At the start (a short run from the scout hut registration area), I found other Striders and we glanced up at the sheer bank to our right - Elle Bank.  I asked someone where the start was and they just pointed up the bank  - I couldn't even see the top!  I was informed that there was "a bit of tape somewhere to the right you have to go around", this was all becoming worryingly mad I actually contemplated going home there and then! The bank was strewn with fallen branches, brambles and peaty grassy earth which crumbled away beneath your feet, it was ridiculous!  But little did I know as I negotiated the crazy hill that this was just the start! 

I got up the bank relatively unscathed, with just a knee graze from a stump I didn't notice.  I had Caz's voice ringing in my ears to keep left so I did this and was in a good position at the top, it took a bit of persuasion for my legs to get going, but they eventually complied and I set off down a ridgy single track with a load of blokes puffing and wheezing from Elle Bank.  I looked up to see a typical steep hill where most of the leaders were walking,  I made good progress not letting anyone past and even passing a couple of runners on the way up.  

Shining Tor Fell Race - Photo by Sue Jeff

It didn't seem long before there was another mighty hill to negotiate, this race was going to be the slowest average speed ever!  The race basically went on in this fashion of ridiculous steepness until the downhills, OMG I am notoriously bad at the steepest of descents but this wasn't even funny.  People were passing me in what seemed like hoards saying "well done" with pity in their voices as they passed me grunting my way down the longest steepest hill, I was not enjoying that bit at all!  

Near the bottom of the steepest bit an older lady from Buxton AC passed me, I was mentally beating myself up as I stepped onto the track which was about 1.5k from the finish, and decided to get a bloody move on!  I hurtled the last section as fast as my legs would carry me, passing Alex, a fellow Strider who was walking.  I shouted back to see if he was injured and he informed me his ankle had gone, I promised to tell the marshals and carried on at breakneck speed - knowing there was very little I could do to help.

It was about 500m from the finish that I caught up with and passed the Buxton lady and a few others, she shouted words of encouragement as I passed which was nice of her, I was really tramming and was half hoping I hadn't peaked too soon! At the finish I realised I was 1st lady Strider home again so that cheered me up, but wow, I don't think I will be doing that one again in a hurry!  My time of 1:06:51 reflects the tough terrain, I was 11th lady out of 32 in a field of 141 nutters, I mean runners! 

Some of the other Strider ladies ended up helping an injured runner who had hurt his arm somehow at one of the stiles on Dimpus Clough, he had been telling them how he had just got back into racing following a leg break the year before - on Mount Famine! Oops, how unlucky! - It turned out he had indeed broken his arm!  If you fancy seeing the route watch this video from a previous years race.  

Well, that was a mammoth blog post, if you've managed to get this far well done!  I won't leave it as long next time!  

My next race is Winkle Trout 9k Fell Race next weekend, but first I'm going to run up Snowdon!

Happy Running,

TLF x