Last weekend wasn't the nicest of weather (again!) but we still filled the weekend with outdoorsy stuff. On Saturday I trotted over to Nether Wasdale via Irton Fell for the Screes fell race. I wasn't sure that this was on until a few days before hand, after the death of Danny Hughes earlier in the year, but the family have decided to carry on holding the race (and the Middlefell Race too in April). It had been a wild wet and windy morning, but when I left the house just after lunch the cloud showed signs of breaking up, and the sun almost came out. It was quite warm too for the time of year. I had a nice trot over the fell, using the race descent route down to the valley and along to the Screes pub.
After a quick change, registration and a stowing of my bag, I kept the decent warm up in my legs by trotting up and down, and before long it was time for the off. Joss (Naylor) was again on the start line setting us off. It is, I have to say, a horrible start and finish for this race unless you like tarmac running! But all too soon the route heads off up the track to the base of the Screes, and the steep path up the side of Whin Rigg. The break in the weather disappeared about half way up the climb, and I felt quite happy that I'd stayed with a long sleeve top on and wasn't just in a vest. By the time I got to the summit, it was thick mist, and horizontal rain.
As I turned for the descent I realised I was in 1st lady position, and also that my shoelace was totally undone, but I didn't want to loose any time, so just plunged on down the ridge hoping that the wet bogs to come wouldn't suck my shoe off! I think I probably was slower than normal on the descent because of my shoe, but it stayed on and got me through to the finish line, and I held on to the first place. I was about a minute quicker than last year so was very pleased.
The tatiepot and craic in the pub after were as good as always and I won a signed copy of Joss's book! I actually already have one signed copy, so need to decide what to do with one of them! I'm sure I could find plenty of willing buyers. After the tatiepot had digested a wee bit, I set off home with the book firmly wrapped in a black bin liner in my rucksac to keep the rain off. I'd like to think it was the food in my belly that made trying to run back over the fell hard work but I think it was more likely that my legs felt pretty bashed!
In fact they were bashed, as on Sunday P and I went to the Grizedale area for a mountain bike ride. We parked up off the East of Lake road by Coniston Water, and rode up through the forest til we intersected the North Face trail, following that until its end at the visitors centre, where we ate jam butties and green and blacks ginger chocolate, before following the rest of the trail until the Parkamoor descent. This was were my wheels fell off (mine and not my bikes), I just had nothing left in my legs, so it was a slow ascent to the top of parkamoor. The descent down here was awesome though, despite the very strong winds which threatened to blow us off the track near the top where its exposed! Just a quick blast back up the road to the van and a cuppa! It wasn't a long ride by any stretch so I was a bit surprised at how bashed I was but at least it gives me more incentive to get out!
I did have the opportunity for proper recovery as I was away with work for three days, apart from managing 20 minutes on a treadmill in the hotel gym on Tuesday morning.... god they're boring...
Last night as the clocks have now gone back and I still haven't charged up my lights, I headed up to Hardknott for a hill rep session. I only need a small head torch for this. It always feels hard but the first time in over 6 months, a headwind on the ascents all made it feel really hard. 4 x 30 sec efforts x 3! Ouch!
Friday, 30 October 2009
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
South Easterly Gales
Rode to work and back yesterday. Going in was great fun, a stong tail wind, beautiful red, pink and purple sunrise over the fells. Coming home was painful: gale force gusts in the face, large droplets of rain and a soft tyre. Not to mention the fact that my pannier rack was not positioned correctly, and was too far forward causing me to touch it with my hamstrings with each peddle revolution. I now have a sore hamstring, but a pannier rack in the correct position :-), a tyre at its proper pressure and a better aligned front light. Alls good with the world again.
Monday, 19 October 2009
FRA Relays
This weekend was the FRA Relays being hosted by my club CFR this year. I had been well out of the organisation as I'd been penciled in to run in the Ladies A team way back when. Last Saturday after the Wasdale BOFRA race, I'd been asked to move from the nav leg to leg 2 (the longest leg) and despite warning my fitness wasn't up to much, my result at Kirkfell didn't help my position.
Last Monday I dashed out after work to recce leg 2, on a lovely evening, and really enjoyed the leg. It was tough and has some interesting route choices on it, and was obviously going to be interesting if the clag was down.
I was on the bike to work and back on Tuesday and on Wednesday evening went up to Brackenclose in Wasdale to go up the Pike. Set off with the clag down at ~200m, and pushed reasonably hard to the summit. I wanted to get under an hour to the top from the road, via Hollowstones and Lingmell Col, and made it in 56 minutes. I even sped up at the top, when I realised that the summit, and those of Scafell, Broad Crag, Ill Crag and Great End were all poking out of the cloud!
The light wasn't great but I took some photos anyway. I then took it steady on the downhill, weary of slipping over, with the relays in a few days time.
Thursday evening had a session at Cockermouth Wall, I'd forgotten how much that stone wall hurts my forearms - good training though!!
Saturday P and I headed over to Carrock Fell in the gorgeous sunshine to go bouldering. We had a great day, and I had very little skin left on my fingers afterwards. I worked quite hard on Canada Dry a hard V3 on the Canada Boulder and made quite a bit of progress. When we first got there I couldn't get on at all, but by the end was getting to the higher crimps. That's where all my skin is!
Sunday was the FRA relays at Kirkland and all hopes of the good weather continuing went out the window when I opened the curtains in the morning. It was a great day out, I think the clag made every leg much more interesting and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. Our leg didn't go without incident, as we went too high towards the first checkpoint, but from then on we were spot on and over hauled at least 10 teams out on the course and made over 50 places on the leg. I did have the legs run off me by my parnter, but I enjoyed every minute!
Our team finished in 7th position in the ladies category which I think we were all really happy with.
My legs weren't given the rest they wanted as I then manned the finishing funnel for a few hours. It was great to see the runners finish, not a sight you get to see very often when you race yourself!
Last Monday I dashed out after work to recce leg 2, on a lovely evening, and really enjoyed the leg. It was tough and has some interesting route choices on it, and was obviously going to be interesting if the clag was down.
I was on the bike to work and back on Tuesday and on Wednesday evening went up to Brackenclose in Wasdale to go up the Pike. Set off with the clag down at ~200m, and pushed reasonably hard to the summit. I wanted to get under an hour to the top from the road, via Hollowstones and Lingmell Col, and made it in 56 minutes. I even sped up at the top, when I realised that the summit, and those of Scafell, Broad Crag, Ill Crag and Great End were all poking out of the cloud!
The light wasn't great but I took some photos anyway. I then took it steady on the downhill, weary of slipping over, with the relays in a few days time.
Thursday evening had a session at Cockermouth Wall, I'd forgotten how much that stone wall hurts my forearms - good training though!!
Saturday P and I headed over to Carrock Fell in the gorgeous sunshine to go bouldering. We had a great day, and I had very little skin left on my fingers afterwards. I worked quite hard on Canada Dry a hard V3 on the Canada Boulder and made quite a bit of progress. When we first got there I couldn't get on at all, but by the end was getting to the higher crimps. That's where all my skin is!
Sunday was the FRA relays at Kirkland and all hopes of the good weather continuing went out the window when I opened the curtains in the morning. It was a great day out, I think the clag made every leg much more interesting and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. Our leg didn't go without incident, as we went too high towards the first checkpoint, but from then on we were spot on and over hauled at least 10 teams out on the course and made over 50 places on the leg. I did have the legs run off me by my parnter, but I enjoyed every minute!
Our team finished in 7th position in the ladies category which I think we were all really happy with.
My legs weren't given the rest they wanted as I then manned the finishing funnel for a few hours. It was great to see the runners finish, not a sight you get to see very often when you race yourself!
The Haute Provence and Haute Alpes, and back to training
Haven't been on here for a long while as P and I had a fabulous 3 weeks in southern France in the van. A great time, lots of climbing, lots of sun, a fair tan and the van was brilliant! I'll write a more detailed report soon on our trip. Meanwhile it has been back to the fabulous british autumn, work and a pile of washing.
After the shell shock of two days back at work, it was time to get back into the training mode for the winter, and to be honest I've been quite physced for this. It took me an inordinate amount of time to get my commuting road bike back into winter mode - putting the mountain bikle carryier back on with a bodged attachment system including pea clips and random brackets, then moving my front tyre onto the dynamo hub wheel, finding the right bike lights, and more improtantly the right brackets, and crossing every finger and toe that once connected it would all work first time. Luckily this year, as the dynamo hub and lights are decent Schmidt ones, it all worked perfectly, just a shame the bodging that has gone on to get everyhting to fit wasn't soo reliable! Anyways the bike was back into working order for a ride to work on Wednesday, which was cold and there was frost on the cars in the valley.
Thursday, I ran to work and back along the seafront (6 miles ish), and then drove up to Wasdale Head to remind myself how painful the nose of Kirkfell was, as I had decided not to race at Langdale this weekend (no runs for 4 weeks, no racing since June and no run over 8 miles since June all meant that although I'd get round I wouldn't be racing and it would be just a long time suffering!), I'd decided to do the BOFRA race at the Wasdale Head Show, and defend my title from two years back!
It was a beautiful evening and I had to work hard not to let the good views distract me from the task in hand. To be honest, it hurt a lot, and I was slow even after I'd factored in my assumption that I'd be slow. But Saturday came round and we headed to the show, and I realised I had nothing to loose except my pride in doing the race, so did it anyway.
To my surprise I was over 2 minutes quicker that the previous time in 2007, and took 1st lady again! Maybe the pain on thursday was just a lack of sharpness.
After the shell shock of two days back at work, it was time to get back into the training mode for the winter, and to be honest I've been quite physced for this. It took me an inordinate amount of time to get my commuting road bike back into winter mode - putting the mountain bikle carryier back on with a bodged attachment system including pea clips and random brackets, then moving my front tyre onto the dynamo hub wheel, finding the right bike lights, and more improtantly the right brackets, and crossing every finger and toe that once connected it would all work first time. Luckily this year, as the dynamo hub and lights are decent Schmidt ones, it all worked perfectly, just a shame the bodging that has gone on to get everyhting to fit wasn't soo reliable! Anyways the bike was back into working order for a ride to work on Wednesday, which was cold and there was frost on the cars in the valley.
Thursday, I ran to work and back along the seafront (6 miles ish), and then drove up to Wasdale Head to remind myself how painful the nose of Kirkfell was, as I had decided not to race at Langdale this weekend (no runs for 4 weeks, no racing since June and no run over 8 miles since June all meant that although I'd get round I wouldn't be racing and it would be just a long time suffering!), I'd decided to do the BOFRA race at the Wasdale Head Show, and defend my title from two years back!
It was a beautiful evening and I had to work hard not to let the good views distract me from the task in hand. To be honest, it hurt a lot, and I was slow even after I'd factored in my assumption that I'd be slow. But Saturday came round and we headed to the show, and I realised I had nothing to loose except my pride in doing the race, so did it anyway.
To my surprise I was over 2 minutes quicker that the previous time in 2007, and took 1st lady again! Maybe the pain on thursday was just a lack of sharpness.
Friday, 11 September 2009
packing
Been busy the last couple of days getting ready for 3 weeks of french hot rock, sunshine and food! The stuffs all out, tonight it goes in the van, and tomorrow (early) we set off for Dover, Calais, Fontainbleau and Orpierre. From then who knows: Ceuse, Buis le Barronais, Vent Avon, Boux? I hope to ride up Mont Ventoux as well. See you in 3 weeks!
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
3 runs in one day
OK so two of them were only 2.5 miles each but I was impressed with my motivation. After the ride on Sunday I wanted to get out running on Monday, but had physio after work (last session!) so decided to run in along the coast (2.5 miles) from where I park the car. I then obviously had to get back to the car after work, so ran back, then after physio, went up to Kirkland and checked out Leg 4 of the British Fell Running Relays that are happening in October.
I've run on these fells before, but not that much, and don't know them that well. I'm down to do the nav. leg so I know I need to get out in the area to get my bearings. Its not easy terrain to navigate on in the mist!! I eventually left the car at 6:30 and trotted over the course. By now my legs were feeling a little heavy, and I wanted to make sure that I didn't just blast over the course without looking around!! There was a lovely light on the fells as a front was moving in from the west, although it got 'darker' inland first. The leg is fast running with a sting in the tail, which I have to admit hurt a bit!
Total mileage: 10.7 miles, Ascent: not worked out yet probably ~ 1600'
I've run on these fells before, but not that much, and don't know them that well. I'm down to do the nav. leg so I know I need to get out in the area to get my bearings. Its not easy terrain to navigate on in the mist!! I eventually left the car at 6:30 and trotted over the course. By now my legs were feeling a little heavy, and I wanted to make sure that I didn't just blast over the course without looking around!! There was a lovely light on the fells as a front was moving in from the west, although it got 'darker' inland first. The leg is fast running with a sting in the tail, which I have to admit hurt a bit!
Total mileage: 10.7 miles, Ascent: not worked out yet probably ~ 1600'
Monday, 7 September 2009
Hardknott & Wrynose
On Sunday, P and I headed out after an inordinate amount of faff (something about me wanting to take my carrier and mud guards of my decent road bike at the last minute!) and rode from home over Hardknott and Wrynose, down to Consiton, Torver, Duddon Bridge, Ulpha, Birker Fell and then home. It was the longest road ride I've done for a while (45 miles) although it wasn't that long! and I'd never ridden Wrynose before. We set off knowing it was going to rain, and as we stepped out the hosue the first few spots fell, but it actually held off for a long time.
I love the ride up to Hardknott, depsite knowing what's coming. I was a little daunted as I'm very unsure of my fitness at the moment, but actually the pass felt fine, OK I didn't set any speed records for the ascent but I was comfortable and enjoyed it. The descent was OK too, although the road was fairly busy (for Hardknott!) and the road was wet in places. We then speed through Cockely Beck and before I knew it we were heading up Wrynose.
From the west Wrynose is not that hard as you start quite high from Cockley Beck, and the climb is fairly steady, so through the top and on down towards Little Langdale. The undulations along this part must be a big killer on the Fred Whitton, with all those miles in your legs. We reached the main road and headed towards Coniston and a food stop. Just as we got back on our bikes after a late lunch, the rain caught us up.
It was just a light rain for a while, as we rode down the main road towards Broughton Mills, and then we turned back up into the Duddon Valley to Ulpha. The climb up out of Ulpha had been looming in my mind again (as it always does) but as always I took it steady, and found it OK. In fact the worst part is not the bottom zig-zags but the straight pull above them. As we got out of the trees on the ascent it started raining harder and it was a wet ride over the tops into the valley.
I really enjoyed the ride, and was surprised how easy it felt, given the summer I've had, and the fact that it was the hardest road ride I've done for a while. I'd also started with stiff shoulders, arms and stomach muscles from a long climbing session at Kendal wall on Saturday, and a reasonably fast run up Muncaster Fell and back on Saturday evening. Kendal wall was the first 'whole' days climbing I'd done since June and my shoulder certainly let me know about it after - in a good way!! I felt pitifully weak on the steep stuff, struggling to do a 6a+, but at the same time I was encouraged that I could do what I could do. The fitness will come back in the next few weeks... hot, dry French rock here we come....
I love the ride up to Hardknott, depsite knowing what's coming. I was a little daunted as I'm very unsure of my fitness at the moment, but actually the pass felt fine, OK I didn't set any speed records for the ascent but I was comfortable and enjoyed it. The descent was OK too, although the road was fairly busy (for Hardknott!) and the road was wet in places. We then speed through Cockely Beck and before I knew it we were heading up Wrynose.
From the west Wrynose is not that hard as you start quite high from Cockley Beck, and the climb is fairly steady, so through the top and on down towards Little Langdale. The undulations along this part must be a big killer on the Fred Whitton, with all those miles in your legs. We reached the main road and headed towards Coniston and a food stop. Just as we got back on our bikes after a late lunch, the rain caught us up.
It was just a light rain for a while, as we rode down the main road towards Broughton Mills, and then we turned back up into the Duddon Valley to Ulpha. The climb up out of Ulpha had been looming in my mind again (as it always does) but as always I took it steady, and found it OK. In fact the worst part is not the bottom zig-zags but the straight pull above them. As we got out of the trees on the ascent it started raining harder and it was a wet ride over the tops into the valley.
I really enjoyed the ride, and was surprised how easy it felt, given the summer I've had, and the fact that it was the hardest road ride I've done for a while. I'd also started with stiff shoulders, arms and stomach muscles from a long climbing session at Kendal wall on Saturday, and a reasonably fast run up Muncaster Fell and back on Saturday evening. Kendal wall was the first 'whole' days climbing I'd done since June and my shoulder certainly let me know about it after - in a good way!! I felt pitifully weak on the steep stuff, struggling to do a 6a+, but at the same time I was encouraged that I could do what I could do. The fitness will come back in the next few weeks... hot, dry French rock here we come....
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