what is it with running?

im not posting much these days for two reasons...i dont want this blog to become boring (though it probably already is) and secondly, i dont think people have time for lengthy droning on in this day and age. we're into short and sweet not war and peace

so i'll cut a long story short. after around 10 years of running it still amazes me that you can go out one day and think you're sailing like the wind and blowing like the wind, then you look at your watch and feel utter disappointment at your actual pace :-(  Then the next day you're bimbling along feeling like you're not breaking any land speed records, running really comfortably within yourself, and then bingo! the watch moment of truth that tells you otherwise :-)

that's all i've got to say about that

upended

'Slip sliding away, slip sliding away 
You know the nearer your destination, the more you slip sliding away'

so a lovely little trip up to kentmere horseshoe with my mate steve (zodiac ) daniels and the ultra running collie himself

quite an innocuous-looking round that day from the valley floor 

but the higher up the garburn pass we went the greater the snow and yes, the ice

no bother, i'll pop my spikes on..that should do the trick

well kind of...steve was comically upended on 3 occasions by sheet ice hidden by a thin veneer of snow. his first fall, he was taken down in full flight and slid a good 12 feet or more on his back..thankfully cushioned by his backpack

you know you shouldn't laugh but you do..and you laugh too soon. it was long before i got my comeuppance on two different but equally bruising falls. and both times lay there wincing at the fleetingly temporary pain whilst uncontrollably giggling away at myself

so much for spikes eh! in a scientific study of n=3 , one without spikes fell 3 times, one with twice and my four pawed buddy fell nil, zero, zilch times. paws>spikes

the weather claggy, cold and with white dreamy vistas

its a bad do when you've got to hold onto my pooch to stay upright eh steve ?;-)

a top fun round finished off in true style with a full english back at wilfs cafe in staverley..adventures dont come much better :-)

running on empty

week one of 2013 training done and this time i'm doing it differently, as prescribed by mr marc laithwaite, the endurance coach and altogether bloody nice chap

this means running on empty..no pre-fuelling, no in-flight fuelling (other than electrolyte drink) and no post-flight carb reloading . all with the aim of teaching your body to work off fat (the big fuel tank) rather than carbs (the little fuel tank)

sunday was just a 2.5 hr jaunt around macc forest, shutts and teggs nose area

it felt fine at first, even with a long long steady climb to the trigpoint. then probably after an hour and a half or so i could start to feel that funny feeling. your body asking for rocket fuel..that never arrives. and so for the next hour you could kind of feel a different physiology happening, not always pleasant or easy. but i guess im very early into this whole adaptation phase and sure there'll be worse to come before it starts to feel ok

his nibs never seems to look too troubled mind..too busy following his nose to notice i guess

let's hear it

lets hear it.. lets hear it for the ultra-runner, the fell runner, the never say neverer
the burning lungs, the red faces, the killer races
the whippets, mid-packers and the see you at the backers

raise your glass to the agony and the ecstasy
the mountain to behold
the tales to be told

stand proud on that hill
you made it yours
through the wind, the rain, thinking never again

we swore, we stumbled, we gritted teeth
up high, down low
but we never said no

so lets hear it..
lets hear it for the trier, the first timer
and the never say dier

we line up as one
an enduring human race
a very special place

so let's hear it
lets hear it for each and every one, and our four legged friends
where did it all go right?

just chillin'

what's not to like about winter? cold crisp runs followed by warm glowing fires. perfect.

grizedale

27.5+ miles (and around 3500ft) around grizedale MUT forest then down to windermere and back...technically then thats an ultra though perhaps not in the true spirit of things

suffice to say we had a great day. best described as a trail of two halves. the first loop (12m) round the forest was relatively easy and quick running on forest trails. the second by contrast totally different..more technical rock strewn trails (some very slippy and muddy), muddy fields and a bit of road t'boot..and so decidedly harder (and slower)

a great event organised and run by a truly great bunch of smiley people. and to top it all the best chicken and peanut soup in the world at the end

his nibs on uncontrollable form..i think he needs an equally lengthy warm up to knock the edge of him! and he had his admirers...'that's a proper dog that is'..i think charlie could lipread the guy ;-)

take a look...

..what's there not to like!

collies round up

so after hobbling through the first half of 2012 with multiple injuries to my left foot and ankle, the second half has seen us get back into some sort of groove, during which I / we've done a number of races, albeit shorter stuff, that we've not tried before

first up was the inaugural 12.12 trail race at the bigrunningweekend in the peaks. i can only think that ,although numbers for this and the accompanying ultra were very low, this event will grow and grow. excellent routes, organisation and a great bunch of folk

and you cant knock some of the great little fell races in our area too. for lantern pike we had excellent weather from the Hayfield showground. basically an up and down with a whole load of country fayre entertainment when you've finshed

then it was over to haworth for my first running of the yorkshireman. still building up from injury i wisely chose the half marathon and strangely found it really hard going. ok it was warm but really was i that unfit??! once finished, with a rather sluggish time, i started to feel a little queer..soon that crept into nausea and alternating hot and cold sweats. driving back was a nightmare with necessary stops every few minutes. at one point i considered heading for the nearest a & e. then once into hebden bridge i abruptly pulled over and the inevitable multiple projectile chunder happened. an hour later and i was right as rain

next up the one i'd be building up to. the very first running of the glencoe marathon. an excellent event. only 150 runners with support , organisation and checkpoints befitting of the best races around

 the route was boggy in parts, tough in places, but always with a stunning vista

being the first time out at this distance since january it was no walk in the park, but a final (downhill) two miles at 8 min/ml made sure i finished feeling confident with a big scottish grin on my face

so next up this coming sunday is the first running of the grizedale marathon, organised by mark laithwaite and co from the lakeland 50/100 event. it's sure to be as tough as the scenery is beautiful

finally on the running front we'll be completing a cracking series of races with gravy pud fell race in december. another simple 5 mile up down no-nonsense event

and to round up the round up charlie has acquired six new little friends..the spice girls..6,6 month old gimmer hoggs who we hope will start to multiply in 2014..aren't they just gorgeous :)