Bollington Festival 3 Peaks

This is a great little race and was well chosen as one of the Wilmslow Summer Series races.  Short fell races always seem to exact a toll on the legs and I was determined to enjoy the hills without killing my quads.  So the tactic was to work the up but stay sensible on the descents.  I'm clumsy over stiles so I'd have a lot to make up on the few flat sections of canal.

1 Peak

We gathered on the Middlewood Way viaduct above Bollington cricket field.  Dark clouds loomed ominously and we'd driven through a cloudburst on the way out.  The elements didn't look favourable for cricket or controlled descents.  We were soon into the first ascent to the top of Kerridge Hill.  I've only ever run this route in reverse and I was surprised how hard we had to work up the rough track to the quarry before getting into the steep climb up to the ridge.  I was happy enough to reach the top in about 10th which gave me a choice of lines to follow down the other side.

2 Peaks

The diagonal traverse up to White Nancy had looked tricky on the map and really anyone with legs of equal length had to work hard against the hill.  Again I had the benefit of following the best lines of those ahead of me and I gained ground while I could see Damian taking a wide loop.  Nancy was soon ahead and I'd gained 2 places before we rounded the tower and plunged down the other side.  This was the descent that had concerned me most as in the winter it had been so slippery that we'd struggled get *up* the hill never mind down.  I was pleased to only lose one place and I soon had that back as we clattered down tracks and alley ways into the village.

3 Peaks

Grinding up through the streets of Bollington I was gaining on two young lads who'd sped away from me down the hills and over the many stiles.  I eased past them on the steep grassy climb up to the Nab.  Damian flew down the hill well clear as I turned to face the final stretch to the trig point.  The soft grass made for a cushioned descent and I managed to just hold off the youngsters until the next stile.  Back out on the tracks and canal I could finally stretch out to full pace.  A strange finish involved us crashing down a small banking and popping out through a hedge onto the edge of the cricket ground and into the funnel.

1 Pint

There was a free pint of Bolly Best at the local brewery and a bowl of chilli, rice, bread.  At £5 entry this was arguably better value than the parkrun :O.  Sitting around with our beer and chilli there was plenty of time to relive our trial by 3 peaks. 

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Easy Thrills In New Mills

I was only aiming for a slow run this morning and stopped to take a few photos of some favourite views in the glorious May sunshine.  I even tried to record the haunting calls of the curlews.

The higher path from the former Moorside Hotel runs below Black Hill.  I saw three curlews gliding across the moor and a buzzard hung on the thermals high above.  The views to the right are amazing right across the valley and up the successive ridges of Windgather, Pym Chair, Cat's Tor and Shining Tor.  The track contours around before heading down to the road where I picked up the path down to Furness Vale.

Joining the canal I followed the towpath then cut off down towards New Mills and the Torrs.  Just after crossing the Goyt there is a farm that keeps a number of llamas.  The first time I passed here slightly light headed after a fast section, I thought my mind was going but now they seem part of the scenery.  I followed the river path down to the Torrs where great stone bridges and viaducts appear to grow out of the living rock as they reach across the gorge that hides in the centre of New Mills.  It's such an unexpectedly dramatic place of cliffs, torrents, shattered mill buildings and clinging trees.  The Millennium Walkway continues the theme providing an exciting bouncy run above the river. 

From New Mills I rejoined the canal to Disley, crossed the A6 and climbed up Red Lane before dropping back down into Lyme Park.

Cuckoo Run

This turned out to be a run too far after the racing on Thursday and Saturday.  But never mind sometimes you just have to get out on the hills.

I headed up the track from the Boars Head, Poynton and into Lyme Park.  The red deer looked on suspiciously as I tracked across the moor and up the long climb to Sponds Hill.  There were dark clouds hanging over Shining Tor and my left quad twinged: two warning signs that I should have taken more seriously.  Running down from Charles Head the valley was laid out below and I was soon flying across the contour.  It was great to be out on these trails again after they'd been mud-bound for months.

It's a long drag up to Pym Chair at the best of times but suddenly I found my left leg refusing to lift properly.  I could still jog back but unfortunately this was the most distant point of my route.  The cloud was down and it started to drizzle.  I'd be late back but it was still only 9.00am and I was lucky to be out on the hills.  I'd just have to enjoy the sights, sounds and silence at slower pace.  Trotting down past Windgather Rocks I heard a cuckoo calling loudly out of the forest.  What a treat - I can't remember hearing a cuckoo since I was a boy.  It's a traditional sign of spring and sure enough the cloud was lifting.

I skipped down Taxal Edge trying to keep the dodgy leg off the rocks and out of trouble and picked up the trail past Taxal Church to Fernilee.  After rounding Toddbrook Reservoir I cut up through Slatersbank Wood to Start Lane before heading towards the Moorside Hotel.  At this time of year Whaley Moor is alive with the whooping calls of the curlew.  Look hard and you can spot them gliding across the moor, heavily camouflaged but in profile given away by their long curved beaks.  I took the easy contour back into Lyme Park via East Gate and hobbled on back down the track to the Boars Head. 

Two hours forty.  Too far, too soon after a marathon.  Lesson learnt.   

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Bramhall parkrun - so now we are 6

Amazingly it is 6 years and over 300 runs since the first 5k race round the park.  Race?  Well it was then and it still is today.  But only for those who want to race.  Against themselves, against their time and for a bit of fun against their mates and rivals.  Today Gareth and Steve chased me hard round 1.5 laps before I finally got a small gap - and left them to race each other in to the finish.

After barcode scanning through the busy bulge of runners around 25 minutes I jogged up to the café for the birthday presentations.  It's become part of the tradition to give a little speech and it is good to thank the team who make it all happen week after week.  The league winners have shown some impressive commitment too, running just about every week to make the podium.  Thanks to Janine I have large chocolate bars to present to the juniors much to their delight.

In the beginning I thought that this would be a fun weekly race-pace workout with a dozen or more local club runners.  But almost immediately it became a community event for local families.  Race or run?  Exercise or social?  It's whatever you want it to be on the day - you can even change your mind half way round.

Mobberley "Round The Runway"

Check In

This is a great little race organised by the "evergreen" Malcolm Fowler that makes use of the trails and dead end roads that were a side effect of Manchester airport's long disputed but eventually built anyway second runway.  Remember Swampy?

I was helping on registration with entries on the night and between us we managed to issue over 200 numbers to add to a similar number of pre-entries and raise over £2000 for an Alzheimers charity.  It was hectic but we managed a sort of system that got everyone signed in by 7.30pm.

Take Off

After a few warm up strides I joined the waiting pack and we were off racing up the lanes.  The pace was steady and I slotted into the leading group that included Damian, Steve Watson (Buxton) and a whole bunch of eager Sale Harriers.  On to the stony trails Damian started to push the pace and the group were stretched out by the second road section.  The race takes an almost surreal turn as the trail appears to be leading out on to the runway apron.  Surely we're not allowed out here.  In fact there is a fence hidden in the ditch but you don't notice this as large jets race past while the trail bobbles along.  A steep descent took us into the vast Bollin Tunnel and directly under the runway.  I was now in 4th trying to hang on to a couple of the Sale guys with Damian 100m clear in front.

Bumpy Landing

The climb back up to runway level was hard on my marathon legs and by the top I was losing the fight for my favourite position, 4th.  I held on across the fields and back on to the roads and we were making up ground on the leaders.  Into the last 400m I was down to 5th and lost another place almost on the line.

A pint in the evening sunshine felt well deserved after a hard race.  

Rivington Pike

From one iconic race to another.  Rivington Pike has some claim to be the oldest fell race and on a sunny day it seemed like half the town were out to spectate.  The rest were in the pub at the start / finish.  The pike looms high, very high above Horwich.  The race is straight up and down no messing.  It really doesn't look likely that the faster runners will be up and back to the pub in well under 20 minutes.

Ellen and I lined up for the start still buzzing with the excitement of Juliet's U16 race where she'd sprinted down the hill for an unlikely 2nd place.  I knew that I wasn't recovered from the marathon so I started very steadily up the road monitoring carefully how my legs were coping. 

As the gradient steepened I felt surprisingly good and I picked my way gradually through the field.  I continued to jog up the final grassy slope grinding past the first woman and Richard Marlton  (Stockport).  The leaders came flying down the hill followed by Damian while I trotted on up around the tower and into the descent.  I knew that I had to be careful here with my brittle marathon legs.  A few hard core fell runners bounced past at literally break neck speed but I caught them all up when we reached safer ground.

Back on the road I started to close down a few more but by now my legs were reminding me about the quality time we'd spent on the Embankment last weekend and I had an easy float in to the finish.

Damian had a fine run for 10th, his best ever placing here but just out of the prizes.  Ellen was 12th woman / 4th u18 after finding the summit hill tough and taking a tumble on the descent.  Andy Dodd had doubled up by doing Bramhall parkrun which might have given him an excuse for being outrun by a guy running in an inflated Sumo suit.  I'd run well enough but outside the top 20 and soundly beaten by a Kendall v50.  Doddy was subdued and sub Sumo.  Starving hungry we'd have all enjoyed the solace of a large burger at this point but the pub was so rammed that even a bag of nuts was beyond our reach.

Rob  

London Marathon

This was my 6th London Marathon in the last 7 years but it remains a challenge and a pleasure (sort of) to take part in such an uplifting event.  This year was particularly exciting as Ellen and Juliet had been selected to run for the North West in the Mini-Marathon which is run over the final 3 miles of the course.  They were starting at 9.30am so they'd have to manage without my support.  At that time I was sat around in the Championship Field waiting to be called up to the start line behind Wilson, Mo, Janine and the rest.

I had decided on a steady pace strategy this year and arranged to meet two other runners to form a 5.55 miling train.  Unfortunately I didn't manage to find them so set off thinking that at the right pace I'd be alongside them soon enough.   Within the first mile Ben Reynolds, the V50 favourite came loping by.  I thought I' d just keep him in sight although by 4 miles I'd decided that I wasn't going to keep up.

The crowds seemed bigger and noisier than ever as we charged around the Cutty Sark.  It was about this time last year that the blisters began.  Not this year, I felt good and I thought I was maintaining my steady 5.55 pace.  Around mile 10 I was joined by Carl Moulton (Congleton) and Matt Rushbrook (KnutsTri).  They both started to pull away from me but I wasn't tempted. 

Tower Bridge is always the highlight and roars of support follow all the way down past halfway.  On Narrow St there was manic support from Di Bygrave and some of my Apteco colleagues. I somehow missed Richard Hirons waving the WRC flag at 15.  But I was feeling fresh and soon making good progress through Canary Wharf.  I overtook Matt Rushbrook then around 19-20 cruised past Carl Moulton.  Through 20miles sub 1.58.  Just 10k to go and I was heading for 2.34.  At this rate I might even catch Ben …

Then suddenly I didn't feel so good.  Slightly light headed, loss of power to both legs.  The marathon really kicks you hard when you are down and the stretch to 23 miles was like running through treacle.  Time and again runners just in front of me pulled up and stopped.  This wasn't helping; I really felt like I could be next.  Nigel Rackham scuttled past me to become 2nd V50 but I had no energy to respond or even wave.

At 23 miles I saw the mini-marathon start gate and remembered that the girls had challenged me to match their times over the last 3 miles.  I laughed as I imagined them sprinting down through the tunnel and on to the Embankment.  They'd won by a mile.  But somehow this cheered me up a lot and I knew that I'd have no problem reaching the Mall.

Near the Eye I passed Richard Whitehead.  He'd inspired me last year and did so again having run 25 miles without legs, he still had the energy to play the crowds.  I jogged happily on past Westminster.

The last 800m seems an incredibly long way and I watched 2.37 tick into 2.38 giving me a finish time that was a couple of minutes down on last year.  The marathon had surprised me again.  And immediately gave me a further kicking as post-race cramp made me stagger through the finish area.

Thanks for all the support out on the course.  London is a great festival of running and really all club runners should give it a go - but try to pace it better than me.  I'm not sure about the accuracy of my Garmin but it's clear that my steady 5.55 pace was an illusion … 

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