Mud Glorious Mud at Durham Cross Country

Race no. 39 N. E. Harrier League Aykley Heads

AFTER CLEANING!

Runners getting into their stride

I used to enjoy cross country running, but if you had heard my language as I plodged round the course for the third time on Saturday you would have thought it impossible. Yet, I did, I really and truly used to enjoy cross country.

On Saturday my lad, Chris and I travelled down to Durham for a North East Harrier League outing with no fewer than 600 other foolish men, plus the same again in youngsters and senior ladies, are we all mad?

Oh, those far off days when I could hold my own against most other runners. Some years ago at our (Tynedale Harriers & A.C. ) own event at Prudhoe, I was actually in the first half dozen on the final hill - ok, I was then caught by the 'fast packers' and had to settle for 14th, but you get the idea. On Saturday Chris and I started together, before  I chased after my rival Harry Matthews, Elswick. After a mile, Chris overtook me and that was the last I saw of him . I then foolishly thought that I could get around on Harry's coat tails, but it wasn't to be as the clinging mud reduced my uphill stuggles to what felt like a crawl and the field started to pass and kept on passing.

By the third lap of this 6.1 mile race I had settled for just getting round and did I tell you about my awful language just to get round that final lap? It was terrible.

At the end I was 459th out of 592 and I never thought that I would have to say that statistic in my lifetime. Now for some mitigation. Shall I mention my achilles? No. Well I will say that Chris obviously struggled as I had, for he said at the end that he expected me to catch him! No way. He was 384th in 51.59. Marcus Byron and Neil Cassidy were just ahead of Chris, as was Harry Matthews, 51.11.

Harry was first V65, I was second, out of 13 vets who probably should know better.

After that tester my next big race is the Hexhamshire Hobble on Sunday Dec. 6th. Did I tell you I used to be a pretty good fell runner?

Back to the Moor again

Race 38 Park Run Newcastle

'All the leaves are brown and the skies are grey'

A very, very wet Town Moor

Oh, to have been on the road from Brampton to Carlisle today, for a classic 10 miler, but having listened to my body (or more precisely, my achilles), I settled for the Newcastle Town Moor for race no. 38 in my 65 race challenge and yesterday's Park Run.

At least it wasn't as wet as last week, when I turned out in full body cover - see above - but it was cold enough for  a t-shirt as I joined Chris for another father and son outing.

I say joined Chris, but having met up just before the start, I could not find him as the field lined up and somehow landed amongst the buggy pushers as we jostled to get through the bottle neck gate at 100 metres. Oh, I hate to be baulked at the beginning of a raceeven though it is no bad thing  really as it stops me from hurtling off, comparatively speaking.

With a niggly achilles, I settled into a 'get me around pace' and got around in 23.38. Ok, really but my early season pb of 21.44 looks out of reach at this moment.

Today the achilles is still 'niggly' , so the decision not to race 10 miles on tarmac was probably wise. I think that I will go back to my 'eccentric heel drops' as part of the recovery process this week, then the softer surface of a cross country at Aykley Heads, Durham (North East Harrier League) should be a 'goer', next Saturday.

Statistics
Finished in 23.38 for 123rd position out of 470.
First V65

Chris finished in 21.03 for 60th place.

Race no. 37 Heaton Harriers Memorial 10K

Back to the Town Moor

Fully clothed for a wet Saturday on the Moor

A winning ticket - well , a third place anyway

At least its not raining

 It was back to Newcastle's Town Moor yesterday for the Heaton Harrier's Memorial 10K and another chance for father and son, Chris,  to race together.

Whilst it was windy, at least it had stopped raining and conditions weren't as awful as they were yesterday when I did the 5K Park Run here. Unfortunately, maybe running yesterday was not such a good idea for not only was I off the pace, but my damn achilles was sore!

Yes, within the first mile Chris was lost to sight as he pushed on to record a good time in his own club's event. I was also passed by Peter Atkinson, North Shields Poly, but there was to be no repeat of the Derwentwater 10 mile, as this time I had to let him go.

Why was it that I found gaps in the field every time I was exposed to the head on wind? There is nothing like hiding behind a big lad when you run into a strong breeze, but it didn't happen  and I was fully exposed. At least I was ahead of yesterday's pace, averaging 7.30 minute miling compared to just under 8 mins. , but I was having to work and also trying to ignore a painful achilles.

Isn't technology improving all the time? Just as they used to do in Russia ( in Cold War days) , I saw a queue at the finish and joined it, was it for a goody bag, t - shirt, drink, or Russian bread? No, it was an instant print out of your performance, wow! This showed that I had finished in 46.54 for 302nd position (549 ran), and was 3rd V65 male.

Chris had continued his improving form to finish 140th in 41.32 and Peter Atkinson was 251st in 45.18. Well done both of you.

Well, that was race no. 37 completed, only 28 to do by 29 March 2016. I would have liked to do the Brampton to Carlisle next weekend, but my achilles is just not up to that challenge, instead I face a race against time to be able to run at all, here's hoping!

Thanks to Laura for turning out to support Chris and I , also for the photos , above.

Park Run Newcastle

Race no. 36 and the third this week!

Town Moor on a better day than today!

Oh, was it wet today on the Newcastle Town Moor. So wet that I wore my fell running top, taped seams and all. For I did not expect to raise a sweat, firstly because it was peeing down and secondly, I was running my third race of the week and looking just to do a warm up for my return to the Moor, tomorrow, when I am running the Town Moor Memorial 10K.

Had quite a tough week's running this week, the Derwentwater 10 mile last Sunday, followed by the Monthly Mile, Tuesday, a seven miler with Louise Griffin (who had done the Town Moor Marathon on Sunday - can't get away from the Moor this week!) on Thursday and now here I was again for the 5 K Park Run.

I hope that I had kept my pace down as I need the energy for tomorrow, but 24.16 is a reasonable time, so we will just have to see what tomorrow brings.

Statistics
Finishing time 24.16
118th position out of 369 runners.
1st V65.

Monthly Mile South Shields

Race 35 November 3rd 2015

Outsprinted to the finish!

I am sure that runner number 359, above, is a smashing chap, but as he sprinted past me to the finish line last night at South Shields I did not feel so charitable.

Yes, my sprinting days are in the past now, if I ever had them, so I was not able to pick up my pace to challenge him to the line at the end of race no. 35 in this 65 race challenge.

Of course, I have lots of excuses for a (relatively) slow mile race, but I will settle for one only and that is the tough Derwentwater 10 Miler on Sunday - let's ignore injury, age, etc. For last night was a filler rather than a thriller and was simply another race recorded to get me back on track after a two month absence due to my achilles injury.

Ater finishing in 6.39 at least I was three seconds faster than last month's run and can look forward to getting my times down in the months ahead.

Back to a proper distance next Sunday when I will be running the Town Moor Memorial 10K. Here's hoping for a decent time - 45 mins or less, please.

10 Mile Thriller At Keswick

Race no. 34 - Derwentwater 10 Mile

Grange in Borrowdale - Half way round

Going for it, as Peter Atkinson starts to get away from me.

Pushing on to the finish

 

 

 

 

After putting in some 5K 'fillers' in an attempt to get me back on schedule after my achilles injury, I had to make a hard decision yesterday, could I get round a tough 10 mile course at Keswick?

10 miles is further than I have run this year and that includes pre injury, when I was fit. But, Keswick is one of my favourite places and I have ran the Derwentwater 10 mile race for over 20 years. So it was an easy decision to make, just try and get around.

And so on a beautiful summer's day (November 1st!) with the temperature heading for 20c, I lined up with a field of 500 runners in the centre of Keswick to run through wonderful Lakeland scenery around Derwentwater Lake.

Instead of blasting off as I normally do, I set off at a steady pace, just over 7 minute miling. At this pace I could enjoy views of the lake as we headed for Grange in Borrowdale. 'This is lovely' I thought, 'Let's just enjoy the whole experience and worry about the climb up to Cat Bells ( 5/6 miles) when we get there'. Then a familiar figure passed me. 'Peter', said I, spotting a former colleague at Northern Rock and fellow member of the Northern Rock Running Club(now defunct), 'Keep it going, you have given me something to chase'.

'I thought that was you' he replied, ' I bet it will be the other way round'.
'What do you mean?' said I ,'Remind me , how old are you?'
'56', Peter replied, 'A slip of a lad compared to you'.

 With that he started to gain on me. After a split seconds thought I decide to go with him( see image above) as the pace was comfortable and it would help to get me around.

Having picked up the pace, I quickly caught him and we ran together for a while before he started to slow, just a fraction. 'You will catch me on the climb' I said as we parted company.That is what I thought would happen, as I am not the climber that I used to be.

Oh , it was tough climbing the road up to Cat Bells, but what a view over the Lake as the 888 feet of ascent was endured. Now my pace was suffering, but at the 5 mile marker  I realised that my gloomy prediction of a 1 hour 30 min. race should be improved upon, with a little effort.

Now the highest point of the race was insight at the 6 / 7 mile mark and I felt strong, but my achilles was sore.  'Just keep going' I thought , as I passed on the downhills the people who had passed me on the ups. Now the mile markers were passing more quickly as I got the pace down from the 9 minute plus mark. At 9 miles I wondered if I could get below 1.20. There was only one way to find out, 'push it! That is what I did, as I went for it into Portinscale and through the line in 1.19.29 .

'Ow, my achilles is sore', was my first thought as I crossed the line. 'Where is Peter?' was my second as I queued for some urgently needed water. There he was, coming in a minute or two after me. Thanks Peter, you did me a big favour appearing when you did, there is nothing like competition to make me work.

Today, my achilles is still a bit sore, hopefully it will sort it self out for race number 35. That may be tomorrow, South Shields Monthly Mile, but only if it is ok. Otherwise, the weekend will do for my next race.

Statistics

Finishing position 211 in 1.19.29from a field of 436.
5th V65 in a big field of old toughies.