Masson Hill Fell Race

Route goes clockwise from the school, bottom right

Another local fell race I'd not tried and they don't get much more local than this - 20 mins drive to the start in Matlock Bath with Andy B giving me a lift. Ed and Sean Ollier also along from the club. New route this year which was slightly longer apparently.

I'd got a few races under my belt now this year so was confident that if Sunday's Cat n Fiddle ride was out of my legs, then I'd run ok.

Great route - straight up (really steep start), then out onto fields still climbing all the way to the trig, then down, up, down, down, down. Lovely running in light drizzle with views over to Birchover from the summit and beautiful running through the woods with Bluebells and wild garlic. 

I was 7th and I think Ed was 3rd out of about 70, so top 10%. I went off too fast up the steep start and not surprisingly was then clinging on for grim death all the way to the trigpoint! On a positive note though, I felt strong at the finish and made around 50metres up in the last half mile. Given another climb I'd have caught Ed (erm, maybe!). Really enjoyed the race - such a hard beautiful white peak route.

Results here.

3rd, 7th, 12th and 16th for Belper Harriers

BDL Summer League Race, Ilkeston 5:58/mile

First BDL in around 2 years.

The last one I did was terrible - went off too fast and just got slower and slower. Despite it raining last night, I really enjoyed the fast pace even though my legs (calves) are hurting loads now. I finished in 36th place (out of 240, so top 15%) which is lower than I used to finish (mid 20s) so I'm not sure if the other clubs have got faster or I've got slower. I'm sure it's the former - couldn't possibly be the latter!

Got an average pace of 5:58min / mile. I don't know much about pace, but I do know that's the fastest I've done on Strava - mainly because all my runs are normally offroad over hills. Don't think I could have kept that up for much longer though...

Results spreadsheet here
Strava link here

Cressbrook Crawl Fell Race

I'd not done this one before and seeing as Teresa was away from Sat afternoon onwards (in Swaledale) then I thought I'd sneak this one in whilst I could. Thankfully, Sean fancied it too so kindly gave me and official photographer for the day - Ed - a lift. Parking at the converted mill at the bottom, Sean and I warmed up much quicker than we thought with the very steep road climb to the Cressbrook club near the top of the hill.

Free Beer - what more excuse do you need to do a Fell Race ??

The race looked good - a big climb out of Millers Dale, plus lots of smaller climbs with no really rough stuff. It was a lovely club where registration was held - I think it could entice me to live there ! - and a nice relaxed atmosphere with around 100 runners on the start line. We were warned of overkeen cattle and horses enroute and then off we went, up the road then fast down to Millers Dale.

After last Tuesdays Burbage and a Chaingang on Thursday the lungs were getting used to this strange feeling of hard work. It still wasn't easy though - especially when you try and keep up with the guys in front who always just keep pulling away !

Starting outside the Phonebox (top right) going anticlockwise

The drop down through Brushfield to Monsal Dale was limestone and it had just started raining, so I took it a little steady - soon to hear fell shoes chasing me down from behind. The next section round to the Monsal Trail was far longer than I thought and just kept on going - gradually up hill!

Gradually, the guy in front got further and further away, but thankfully so did the guy behind. I finished 8th out of 101 finishers in 50 mins, so Top 8%. That free pint didn't touch the sides - and it was nice to help Sean out with his too as he was driving. Great race, some flat bits in the middle, but enough off road to keep the interest and great scenery to boot.

Write up and results here

Route Profile showing the long (hard) flatish stretch in the middle

Burbage Skyline Fell Race

Brilliant race last night - enjoyed it so much. 

Thats what 356 runners setting off looks like

The Burbage Skyline is a race I've always wanted to do, known the course, but have never done. Well, this year it fell right, so 5 of us from Belper Harriers turned out on this balmy spring / summer evening to tackle what the area between Fox House / Higgar Tor and Upper Burbage Bridge could throw at us.

356 runners turned up so the start was a little frantic - I didn't get a good start by any standards, but soon got moving. As it was my first 'non Ultra' fell race of the year, the hard climbs certainly felt tough, but as ever the descents hurt more as I struggle to keep up with guys, hence I have to push harder to simply not lose places.

51st I think overall, so yes I could have done a lot better, but this is just about getting out there and racing when I'm not in tip top shape and just enjoying it. I certainly did that !

Clockwise direction from bottom, down to the stream to start off

2013 Results, 51st out of 356. Not bad for first race of the year !

The Fellsman 2013 review, 61 miles, 11,000ft climb

Joint 9th Overall, 12hours 24 mins - 55 mins quicker than last year and way faster than I ever dreamed I'd do.

What a stunning day all round - for both Checkpoint Marshalls and runners!
Views to die for at Fleet Moss

On reflection, I think that was the best race I've ever done. Not the fastest, not the hardest, not the best result - but as a total package - I enjoyed that more than any other race I've done.  Yes, views like those above all day long certainly helped make this a race I'll remember for a long time but there was more to it than that.

The Fellsman is a pretty special race anyway - there's a massive team of organisers (year round committee and on the day), 500 entrants and massive logistics in keeping the 24 checkpoints in contact. Then there's the course - most entrants regard this as either their hardest race of the year or normally in the top 3 (perhaps if competing abroad) and rightly so - if you're not doing a big climb or a big descent, you're on the rough stuff - perhaps a rough track or a small trod if you're lucky or tussocks if you're not.

Saul, Graham and me had been targetting this race for months - Saul and Graham as perfect Bob Graham prep for a months time, me as a springboard for Saul and Graham's support and later in the year my UTMB TDS race in August in the Alps. Sadly, Graham had to duck out which left Saul and me to make our pilgrimage to Threshfield School like previous years but - unlike any previous year - both Saul and me were running it the same year - he's done two previously and I've done just one but not on the same years. Added excitement ! Although not competing against each other, I think we genuinely hoped we'd both do really really well - whatever that means!

Saul and me on the start line, Ingleton

The weather at the start was perfect - cool, still (ish) and sunny. Time for a quick photo whilst we could still smile and at 9:05 we were off - straight up Ingleborough with the 403 other runners who'd made it to the start line (500+ registering). Saul and me immediately split up as we were running our own races, but almost inevitably we were running alongside each other after Ingleborough as we are normally the same pace.

Hills came and went.

Views for 100 miles came and went.

Competitors came and went.

Checkpoints came and went.

but these are the memories I'll take away ;

* The view looking down from Great Coum Westwards - Cumbria on the horizon with masses of open fell at my feet.

* The view looking down from Great Coum Northwards - The Howgills looking mighty fine.

* The views down towards Hubberholme (nr Cray) across valleys lined with dry stone walls coated in early evening sunlight.

* Lots of people to chat to all day, including marshalls and fellow competitors

*Legs feeling great all day - takes me back to my Bob Graham (but I've never had the flying sensation again since!)

* No low points - last year was a struggle on several ocassions, notably Dent to Blea Moor.

* Running with Kev and Dan from Dent to the end. We made a good team, lighthearted banter for 35+ miles! Kev with a formidable running pace and Dan with a formidable future ahead of him.

* Not being grouped at all - a kind of 'god like status' at the Fellsman - arriving 2 mins before grouping started.

* My time of 12h24 was far in excess of what I ever thought I'd achieve. I expected under 13hours, perhaps 12h45, but certainly not that. And yes, there probably is room for improvement next year now I look back. Not entirely sure, but thinking of the competitors ahead of me, I could have been 3rd Vet ?

* The Cocktail Sausages at Park Rash! Kev and me were craving savoury so bad, and until now dry rolls hadn't cut the mustard. We couldn't get enough of these buggers tho - so apologies to anyone who turned up late and there weren't any !

Like last year, it was nice to have a pint afterwards reflecting on a truly grand day out. It was cold walking back to the school though - but at least my legs were still talking to me. It was good to see Saul when I got back to the school - eyes not quite focused but about what we expect from him after a long race! He'd knocked 15 mins off his PB finishing in around 13h30, so was pleased (ish), but - as ever - there's masses of room for improvement it seems!

Ingleton to Grassington - The Hard Way

Starting off with 2 of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, it's hard to know if the climbs are worse than the bogs!

Strava link here

Fellsman post race discussion here

Results not up yet, but they should be somewhere here

Note to Self : Stay right of the Stream up Buckden!!

Cropton Score 3h Event, NY Moors Weekend

Lovely weekend just gone. 100 miles on the bike on Saturday followed by attempting the 3hour Cropton Forest Score event but on foot. Teresa, Dave, Sheila and Dennis did it officially on Saturday (whilst I was being nobby no mates on my bike), so as Newton upon Rawcliffe was right in the bottom corner of the map, I thought I'd give it a crack. I got 315 point and was 5 minutes late, so 310 points. Most importantly - legs felt good ! Well done to Teresa who was the highest scoring woman with 385, thereby also whooping my ass. All organised by the very nice guys at NYMBO.

Sunday's 3h Score Event (MTB or foot - take your choice !)

Saturday's beautiful Moors and Teeside 100 miler

Calderdale Hike 2013, 37 mile, 6000ft

Great Shot of the Emblem of Calder Valley : Stoodley Pike
Photo Courtesy of Nick Ham

After enjoying last years Calderdale Hike so much, it was always going to be on the cards that I'd enter again this year. And seeing as the Fellsman is two weeks later, this race serves as perfect prep for that one. This year though, I was a little apprehensive going into this one - not had many good runs all year really (legs feeling tired at the end of runs or just completely jaded) and been dogged with back niggles then snow so no form to speak of.

What the hell - 37 is a distance that you can almost 'wing it', so I guess I just thought - how bad can it actually be ? Well, as it turned out - quite bad really !

The weather was great and none of the big names from last year were there, so heading to CP's 1 & 2 I was right at the front - very worrying for me! Martin Beale was now running alongside, so I knew he'd just start pulling away and generally - he did. There's lots of climbing in this race and it comes all the way through - start, middle and end (finish on top of a hill!) so there's no resting up. I think I attacked the climbs at the start a little too hard - struggling to keep up with Adam Worallo setting a hot pace up to Hoof Stones Moor. He was running really well and pulled away easily on the moors (but later found out he was going too fast here and only finished 5 mins ahead of me) as too did Simon Bourne who would eventually overtake 6 of the 7 people in front of me and finish 2nd.

Start is in bottom right corner, going clockwise

The section over to the reservoirs was completely different in character to last year. We were banned from going on the direct bearing due to landowner issues (fair enough) so we were ordered to stick to the fence line. Well - that was a hell of a lot longer than last year with I think about 10 mins added here and quite a bit of climbing too. It was hot now and coupled with the over keen pace with Adam earlier, I felt the energy ebbing away and my legs slowed progressively all the way to Bronte Bridge. Blimey - the legs really didn't want to stretch out at all here and coupled with tummy issues, some very dark thoughts were going through my head about this race, my next race and all future races !!!

Nasty thoughts quickly dispatched to the back of my mind - a dib at the checkpoint and serious jelly baby intake saw me slowly pick up pace again to my usual "Ultra pace" heading back over towards Pecket Well kind of area. The climbs carried on thick and fast and now some of the short race tail enders made me feel super speedy as I passed a good few of them with cheery smiles and a quick hello going out to them all.

The climb out of Pecket Well is really not good. It's quite nasty to be honest and eventually drops you onto some very boogy moorland. Nice. Oh, and to make it worse, that's then followed by my nemesis - around 2 miles of road running - very harsh on the legs!!

Pretty unrelenting climbing then !!!

I didn't really see anyone in front / behind me from High Withens onwards so really started to settle into the solo rhythm and just enjoy the freedom of the fells for a while. I knew the route and exactly what was in front of me, so pushing a hard but sustainable pace was all I had to do - and something that comes natural really - never one to ease off.

Heading up the final grind to the finish line felt far harder this year than last. My legs had less in reserve than last year but I had no idea why. I was therefore very surprised to see my time just 10 mins slower than last year and - seeing as I reckoned this years route was 10 mins longer than last years - I was basically in line with last years time. This was probably why the legs were hurting now so much. In fact in the days after the race, I can honestly say that my legs ached more than I have ever suffered in all my years of running and Mountain Marathons !

Great race though and very friendly folk. Results took about a week to come out which is why I haven't posted this before.

8th Overall (same as last year), 6h 18m
Results here
gpx here
Strava link here

Ultra Tour de Matlock Bath - the alternative view

Today was a great day.

Firstly, it was a day off work. That's always good. The family was up for the weekend which meant a training embargo during Sat / Sunday. It was also the pinnacle of a very hard training week (for me). Being recently back from a period of little running due to my back / groin, this week was a good test piece...hard 16 on Tuesday with the club plus my first Chaingang for a month and a half followed by the planned 30 miles today. Hmmm, yes I was very aware that today could take a turn for the worse at any point. After the run, I chilled to my latest fave album for an hour or so whilst reading Ron Fawcett's autobiography then picked Lewis up from Multisports. Dinner on, mum down, family arrived and a nice few hours catching up before the kids detonator went off and it was time to run for cover.

It was also my first proper run with Shaun. I'd really only met Shaun on Tuesday's run - and then at a point where we were both going way too fast to even dream of being able to speak ! After the run, I noticed that he'd logged the run on Strava too, so - knowing he was clearly a very handy runner and attempting to run his first marathon in a month or so - I thought I'd drop him a line to see if he fancied pushing himself a bit on Friday. Shaun works for the police, so as Friday was a late shift he could actually manage to fit it in. Shaun I was dismayed to hear, had very sensibly taken it easy after Tuesday's fastish club run and only cycled one way to work yesterday, shunning the return leg due to risk of overdoing it for today. Hmmm, that's worryingly sensible I was thinking. Shaun's kindly captured his thoughts on attempting his first Ultra - a very entertaining read ... thanks Shaun !

"Have you ever volunteered to do something without fully digesting the enormity of the challenge ahead? Well that happened to me this week, when I agreed to go out for a run with Alan. “A steady 30”, Alan said, “very hilly”.

This was a challenge I deemed too good to refuse, especially owing to my impending first ever London Marathon in April. Being relatively new to the running scene (I started running competitively in the autumn of 2011), the furthest I have ran is 22 miles (twice), once last July in the Snowdonia Sevens fell race and once for charity in September from Horncastle to Skegness. So surely 30 local miles on familiar routes would be within my ability? A shock to the system isn’t too extreme a view of my maiden Billington Classic.

The run commenced at 7:40am from Belper Mill, with Alan setting the pace for his relatively inexperienced sidekick. The route from Belper to Wirksworth, via Alport Heights was uneventful, with nothing too leg-busting (Alan obviously knew what lay ahead). The descent from Wirksworth to the northern tip of Carsington Water (one of my favourite running locations I might add), was friendly on the legs which, by this time were beginning to feel the burn. After a brief refuel in Middleton, we descended treacherously to the Via Gellia road then back up through Bonsall Wood and into Bonsall village along the Limestone Way. The climb out of Bonsall towards Matlock Bath stung a bit, with Alan’s style still as smooth as 007 in his prime.

The drop into Matlock Bath was a welcome relief and an ideal opportunity to top up the water bottles prior to the gruelling climb up to Starkholmes and Riber Castle. What is normally an unchallenging incline towards Coumbs Wood followed; however, this was a real test for me after the previous 15 miles or so. Again it appeared trouble-free for Alan, who I shall now nickname ‘Joss Naylor’. He did offer a few words of encouragement and agreed that it was tough, but I think he just said this to make me feel better. The trot along Lea Bridge to the Cromford Canal was pan flat, before the climb up to Wakebridge and Crich Stand. Walking became more and more frequent for me in an attempt to keep moving without looking like a baby giraffe after a night on the ale.

“An hour, an hour and a half”, said Alan. My heart sank. I was hurting by this point although the Snickers flapjack gave me an injection of much needed energy, with Alan relying on his trusty Jelly Babies. Crich Chase to the A610 is a blur. All I remember is the gap between Joss and I growing with every step. I think I finally cracked on the fields above Ridgeway, fields that I normally eat up without difficulty. From here on in to the finish, I have to thank the lord for gravity for getting me back in one piece. The light at the end of the tunnel came from an extended discussion about bacon and egg cobs and hot chocolate.

As I write this (some 4000 calories lighter), the pins are remarkably ok (I stop short of saying good) and I am actually thinking about going out with Joss again, although my tapering towards the marathon might start earlier than I’d anticipated.

Thanks for a great run Alan, and keep me posted on future runs. I’ll keep an eye on the blog and your Strava activity."

link to my Strava run here
link to Shaun's Strava run here

Broxap Round (Winter, by John Fleetwood)

"A non-stop walk round the 29 Munros of Jon Broxap's 24 hour Munro Record Route, 75 miles, 34,800 feet, 61 hours"

John Fleetwood has recently completed a Winter Broxap Round. He's put up some inspirational photo's that just make you want to get up to Scotland and get up those mountains. Well, it did make me put finger to keyboard anyway and plot the route out to see how monstrous it really is... Eeeek !

Cannock Chase Orienteering (Haywood Warren)

First Orienteering event for me in a few years on the weekend just gone and I must say, I loved it!
Despite getting badly lost on 3 heading down into the wrong valley ! (12 mins lost)
Despite that, I hit all the others virtually spot on and the weather was glorious too which made sarnies in the campervan with Lewis afterwards all the more enjoyable.

Results here