Thanks to the various folk who texted or left voice mail messages for me, concerned about my safety at the recently cancelled, very wet and windy OMM event in Borrowdale.
The event was cancelled at 12pm, about 4 hours after it started due to very heavy winds and rain - 100mph and over 1 month of rain in a 1 day are the figures I've heard.
I'll blog a full report shortly but needless to say I am fine and looking forward to 2009.
Some balanced and thoughtful reporting on fell events and weather by Richard Askwith can be found here in the meantime.
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Friday, 17 October 2008
New OMM partner and lying on a mat
Poor old Marco M-C has had to pull out of the OMM due to surprise work committments - boo. But really rather quickly I've found a replacement, a chap called Ian with what seems like a penchant for mexican headwear. It'll be a wee bit strange doing the event with a complete stranger, particularly sleeping in a 1+ person tent together, but we've spoken on the phone and he seems pretty relaxed and easy to get on with so I'm sure it'll be fine. Well, we've still got to become 'fart comfortable' with each other, something probably best done outside said tent. Actually I'm getting quite excited about the event now that it is just over a week away. I'll be staying up in the Lakes for a few days afterwards for a short break with my family, which I am also looking forward to.
Alun Ward emailed me the photo above earlier this week, wondering whether I was the fella on the mat. Yes, it's me, rather dehydrated and far too hot after running the High Peak 40 in 20C+ heat in mid-September. He came in a place or two behind me but looks like he is just about to start. Damnably unflustered by the exertion, unlike moi. Oh well ... :-)
Alun Ward emailed me the photo above earlier this week, wondering whether I was the fella on the mat. Yes, it's me, rather dehydrated and far too hot after running the High Peak 40 in 20C+ heat in mid-September. He came in a place or two behind me but looks like he is just about to start. Damnably unflustered by the exertion, unlike moi. Oh well ... :-)
Monday, 13 October 2008
Ridgeway Run race report
Distance: 9.68 miles
Terrain: mostly trail, some road
Ascent / descent: +610' / -619'
Time: 01:10:42
Pace: 7:18 (avg)
Position: 47/438
This is a regular race of mine, the nearest thing to a fell race within 30 minutes of Milton Keynes, and an event that always seems to get a lovely weekend. This year was no exception. The race has been running for 27 odd years now so is quite a fixture locally for the road boys wanting to try something out with hills and for all us poor fell and trail obsessed runners locked in living down south. Tring Running club organise the event and big cheers must go out to them - every year the t-shirt is a great design, the car parking works with military precision and the finish line is well constructed. Even with the sizeable field of 438 it all went well.
The Chiltern Hills over which the race runs
The sun was shining, the sky was blue and I set out to better my PB of 01:11:00 set a few years back. I did this with a few seconds to spare so am very pleased.
The race started at a pretty furious pace (6:12 mins/mile according to my Garmin) so I deliberately slowed to 6:30 pace after half a mile, not wanting to burn out. I slowed down further to 6:50 as we hit the first field and I then became aware of a grunter on my tail. Heavy breathing and a particular noise which meant I could recognise the fella. I think it was the Burnham Joggers runner who came in directly behind me but I can't be sure.
Anyway he was in close as we hit the first slope and I decided to stretch out a little, feeling confident about my climbing strength and endurance. Sure enough I quickly and easily lost him from earshot but he reappeared on the next, downhill, section where it sounded like he was putting in some effort to catch me so I stretched out again and kept him at bay.
Tring Ridgeway Run course profile and my pace
We crossed the stableyard to the north of Aldbury and gradually wound our way up to the monument in the Ashridge Estate. He was right at my heels and to his credit kept it there till the incline increased when he dropped back and I ploughed on, passing a few other runners. If only the race had more climbing I'd have easily (ha) moved up 10 positions. I managed to keep some of these runners at bay but the long flattish run through the Ashridge Estate saw me gradually picked off by the stronger on the flat runners. Damn these ultra trained legs of mine, faster faster I thought but to little avail.
The thought and possibly the imagined grunting of the runner I was determined to keep at bay kept my speed up, up and over Pitstone Hill in glorious sunshine then down through the woods to the final 1.5 ish mile road section. My legs were heavy by this point and try as I might I couldn't sustain faster than 7:14 ish pace so lost a few places, but importantly kept the grunter at bay. Hooray! A thoroughly enjoyable run.
Father and daughter enjoy the post-race sun and wet grass
The OMM in Borrowdale is fast looming (25th of this month) and Marco M-C and I still haven't got our tent sorted. I am humming and hawing about buying a new one as Marco has an old Vango 100 that might do the job, but it looks pretty wee. The dimensions below are for the Laser Competition, but they are about the same as the Vango 100. Has anyone tried out one of these tents with 2 people? How comfy are they? Can 2 folk actually fit in? They are supposedly big enough for 2 under mountain marathon race conditions.
Laser Competition tent dimensions
Finally, I have received some gentle encouragement from Mr Cunningham to stop being a big woose. I was thinking of doing a 2 day Bobby Gee (Bob Graham Round) as training for the 09 UTMB. Mr C has probably correctly pointed out that I ought to just get on and do the actual thing as training. Well, I might well just. Cheers for the motivation Richie. :-)
Terrain: mostly trail, some road
Ascent / descent: +610' / -619'
Time: 01:10:42
Pace: 7:18 (avg)
Position: 47/438
This is a regular race of mine, the nearest thing to a fell race within 30 minutes of Milton Keynes, and an event that always seems to get a lovely weekend. This year was no exception. The race has been running for 27 odd years now so is quite a fixture locally for the road boys wanting to try something out with hills and for all us poor fell and trail obsessed runners locked in living down south. Tring Running club organise the event and big cheers must go out to them - every year the t-shirt is a great design, the car parking works with military precision and the finish line is well constructed. Even with the sizeable field of 438 it all went well.
The Chiltern Hills over which the race runs
The sun was shining, the sky was blue and I set out to better my PB of 01:11:00 set a few years back. I did this with a few seconds to spare so am very pleased.
The race started at a pretty furious pace (6:12 mins/mile according to my Garmin) so I deliberately slowed to 6:30 pace after half a mile, not wanting to burn out. I slowed down further to 6:50 as we hit the first field and I then became aware of a grunter on my tail. Heavy breathing and a particular noise which meant I could recognise the fella. I think it was the Burnham Joggers runner who came in directly behind me but I can't be sure.
Anyway he was in close as we hit the first slope and I decided to stretch out a little, feeling confident about my climbing strength and endurance. Sure enough I quickly and easily lost him from earshot but he reappeared on the next, downhill, section where it sounded like he was putting in some effort to catch me so I stretched out again and kept him at bay.
Tring Ridgeway Run course profile and my pace
We crossed the stableyard to the north of Aldbury and gradually wound our way up to the monument in the Ashridge Estate. He was right at my heels and to his credit kept it there till the incline increased when he dropped back and I ploughed on, passing a few other runners. If only the race had more climbing I'd have easily (ha) moved up 10 positions. I managed to keep some of these runners at bay but the long flattish run through the Ashridge Estate saw me gradually picked off by the stronger on the flat runners. Damn these ultra trained legs of mine, faster faster I thought but to little avail.
The thought and possibly the imagined grunting of the runner I was determined to keep at bay kept my speed up, up and over Pitstone Hill in glorious sunshine then down through the woods to the final 1.5 ish mile road section. My legs were heavy by this point and try as I might I couldn't sustain faster than 7:14 ish pace so lost a few places, but importantly kept the grunter at bay. Hooray! A thoroughly enjoyable run.
Father and daughter enjoy the post-race sun and wet grass
The OMM in Borrowdale is fast looming (25th of this month) and Marco M-C and I still haven't got our tent sorted. I am humming and hawing about buying a new one as Marco has an old Vango 100 that might do the job, but it looks pretty wee. The dimensions below are for the Laser Competition, but they are about the same as the Vango 100. Has anyone tried out one of these tents with 2 people? How comfy are they? Can 2 folk actually fit in? They are supposedly big enough for 2 under mountain marathon race conditions.
Laser Competition tent dimensions
Finally, I have received some gentle encouragement from Mr Cunningham to stop being a big woose. I was thinking of doing a 2 day Bobby Gee (Bob Graham Round) as training for the 09 UTMB. Mr C has probably correctly pointed out that I ought to just get on and do the actual thing as training. Well, I might well just. Cheers for the motivation Richie. :-)
Monday, 6 October 2008
Uphill training in the rain oh joy
The rain had been falling for quite a few hours on Sunday by the time I dug out my fell shoes and headed out for some off road hill repeats. I've not worn my fell shoes since February and have missed their grip and the usual running through mud in stoating rain that usually accompanies my wearing them.
On Saturday I ran a hilly 10 mile off road run route I do locally in a record 1:22 for me and felt really strong, keeping my form throughout. I think I get a little lazy form wise sometimes and it makes my running less efficient so I am focussing quite hard on this, particularly running uphill.
Mike Mason emailed me this video of Scott Jurek, complete with lovely hair-do, giving some uphill running technique tips. The video doesn't cover really steep or fell terrain but the advice given works a treat for shallow to moderate trail slopes.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid416421194/bctid1453536224
Other than thoroughly enjoying running in the increasingly heavy rain doing my hill repeats on Sunday, I consciously kept my hips neutral, following Scott's advice. I found that I had a tendency under strain towards the top of the later repeats to bend forward but that this actually made my running less comfortable so I stuck with the form. It made my quads and calves burn more but felt more efficient overall. I did 9 repeats of ~130' each vertical climb and will increase this by 1 repeat a week till the OMM.
Anyhoo, well done to all Family Inverness 10k and marathon runners at the weekend and best wishes to John K for a speedy recovery and return to racing.
On Saturday I ran a hilly 10 mile off road run route I do locally in a record 1:22 for me and felt really strong, keeping my form throughout. I think I get a little lazy form wise sometimes and it makes my running less efficient so I am focussing quite hard on this, particularly running uphill.
Mike Mason emailed me this video of Scott Jurek, complete with lovely hair-do, giving some uphill running technique tips. The video doesn't cover really steep or fell terrain but the advice given works a treat for shallow to moderate trail slopes.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid416421194/bctid1453536224
Other than thoroughly enjoying running in the increasingly heavy rain doing my hill repeats on Sunday, I consciously kept my hips neutral, following Scott's advice. I found that I had a tendency under strain towards the top of the later repeats to bend forward but that this actually made my running less comfortable so I stuck with the form. It made my quads and calves burn more but felt more efficient overall. I did 9 repeats of ~130' each vertical climb and will increase this by 1 repeat a week till the OMM.
Anyhoo, well done to all Family Inverness 10k and marathon runners at the weekend and best wishes to John K for a speedy recovery and return to racing.
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