BS 5 miles 900 feet.
New years day run.
Trying to get the year off to a good start
Just got to work on the belly now.
Pictures from Fell Running Pictures
Devils Chair Dash 26/12/11
AS 3 miles 800 feet.
Boxing day charity run/walk from the Stipperstones Inn
A good way to get rid of some of the excesses of the previous day and good preparation for the excesses of the following few days.
More information on race page
Boxing day charity run/walk from the Stipperstones Inn
A good way to get rid of some of the excesses of the previous day and good preparation for the excesses of the following few days.
More information on race page
Corndon Classic 18/12/11
AS 5.8 miles 1850 feet
Didn't seem as hard as Cardington a couple of weeks before. I even had chance to enjoy this run.
Photos as usual with kind permission of Fell Running Pictures
Hoping to do Devils Chair Dash on Boxing day.
Cardington Cracker 4/12/11
9 miles 2600 feet.
After several months not running. This I hope is the slow road back to normality. Not surprisingly, I found it really hard going. It took me a lot longer to get round than last time I did this race. Walking was difficult for several days afterwards.
Photo from Fell Running PicturesWrekin 15/6/11
Similar run to two days ago. Maybe a little faster but still a few minutes off last years times.
Wrekin Jog 13/6/11
Up and over the Wrekin. Then jog round the south side back to the truck. Hard work but glad I did it. Got to try and get back into it.
Getting fatter and slower
I've been a bit quiet since my last post.
We'd been busy working towards the adoption and looking after the pigs as well as the normal 9 to 5s. This didn't leave much time for training and racing. On top of that, we'd been making the most of any spare time having meals out and generally living an unhealthy lifestyle. Hence, as the tittle suggests, I have put on a fair bit of weight.
Oh well, I did at least get out and do some races. Although, in my current state they became more like training runs:
Llantysillio Mountain Race 9/4/11, AM 6.2 miles 2100 feet. A shock to the system.
Market Drayton 10k road race. Local race with Mrs and neighbour. Note to self: I hate road running.
Cader Idris 28/5/11 AM 10.5 miles 3000 feet. By now definitely too fat to run up mountains. As well as seeing the usual Shropshire and Welsh runners, Steve (sbrt) and fellow blogger run forest run came over and said hello. Nice to see him again. Mrs Lightning commented on how nice he was. I agree, nice chap ;-)
Shutlingsloe 30/5/11 AS 2 miles 900 feet. Friends round the night before and for some reason I didn't think drinking whisky until 2 am would have any effect on performance. I was wrong.
Batch Bash 1/6/11 AS 3 miles 1000 feet. Number 3 of the Shropshire summer series, but, the first one I've been able to attend. Absolutely terrible performance, but, good to get into the hills.
Not sure what or when the next run will be. We are currently awaiting the outcome of a legal glitch in the adoption process which will certainly see some more delay and may even see a total breakdown in the planned placement. Thanks Shropshire social services for being so incompetent. It's a wonder they manage to place any children at all.
The pigs are very happy free ranging in the field digging huge holes everywhere and completely oblivious to what the future will bring for them. Their transport to the great sty in the sky is booked for 4 weeks time. That will be a hard day for us.
We'd been busy working towards the adoption and looking after the pigs as well as the normal 9 to 5s. This didn't leave much time for training and racing. On top of that, we'd been making the most of any spare time having meals out and generally living an unhealthy lifestyle. Hence, as the tittle suggests, I have put on a fair bit of weight.
Oh well, I did at least get out and do some races. Although, in my current state they became more like training runs:
Llantysillio Mountain Race 9/4/11, AM 6.2 miles 2100 feet. A shock to the system.
Market Drayton 10k road race. Local race with Mrs and neighbour. Note to self: I hate road running.
Cader Idris 28/5/11 AM 10.5 miles 3000 feet. By now definitely too fat to run up mountains. As well as seeing the usual Shropshire and Welsh runners, Steve (sbrt) and fellow blogger run forest run came over and said hello. Nice to see him again. Mrs Lightning commented on how nice he was. I agree, nice chap ;-)
Shutlingsloe 30/5/11 AS 2 miles 900 feet. Friends round the night before and for some reason I didn't think drinking whisky until 2 am would have any effect on performance. I was wrong.
Batch Bash 1/6/11 AS 3 miles 1000 feet. Number 3 of the Shropshire summer series, but, the first one I've been able to attend. Absolutely terrible performance, but, good to get into the hills.Not sure what or when the next run will be. We are currently awaiting the outcome of a legal glitch in the adoption process which will certainly see some more delay and may even see a total breakdown in the planned placement. Thanks Shropshire social services for being so incompetent. It's a wonder they manage to place any children at all.
The pigs are very happy free ranging in the field digging huge holes everywhere and completely oblivious to what the future will bring for them. Their transport to the great sty in the sky is booked for 4 weeks time. That will be a hard day for us.
Hopefully see you in the hills soon.
Where has all the time gone? Update.
(having problems editing this post, all the text at once) It's been a while since I last blogged. I've still been doing a bit but have slowed down a lot since last year. The main reason is Mrs Lightning and I have been going through the adoption process. It's been about a year, so far, of courses, CRB checks, interviews, form filling in, more interviews, more forms,,,,,,,but it seems as if we are getting towards the end of a rather long tunnel. And, because of this we have been spending spare time readying everything for "their" arrival and generally making the most of our spare time enjoying ourselves before we start having to be the grown ups. We also became pig farmers a couple of months ago. Um, yes, strange for a veggi. But, now we live in the country and have the space, we think we can do it ethically and rear happy, healthy, organic, free range pigs that will produce good quality meat for our family. We'll see how that one goes. I've not been completely idle though, Carding Mill Valley Race 5th Feb. 4 miles and 1800 feet. Classic Shropshire AS. Several short sharp shocks. Hell in the Middle. 12th Feb. Part of the Hell runner races. In one word. CRAP!! In a few more words, all the worst things associated with road races. Large entry fee £20, goodie bags full of crap. Too many people throwing plastic bottles everywhere and a crap route. Long Mynd Valleys Weekend 5/6th March: Titterstones clee race 2.5 miles 750 feet. Long Mynd Valleys Race 11.5 miles 4500 feet. Championship counter, so lots of big names. I chose the early start option and had the pleasure of spectating whilst competing. Amazing watching the speed of the big names. Also got a tshirt from Mercia for entering both races. Wrekin Fell Race 27th March. 5.5 miles 1700 feet. My local hill, and even though we had friends round the night before (slight hang over) I felt obliged to run it. I've also squeezed in a few kickboxing, weights and training sessions. I've mostly been very slow in the races but am glad to have taken part. I think it will be difficult to do as many races this year as last but am hopeful to at least get the local Shropshire races done
Carding Mill Canter
Titterstone Clee
Long Mynd Valleys
Long Mynd Velleys Presentation
Wrekin Fell Race
All photos provided with the kind permission of Fell Running Pictures
Long Mynd Valleys Recce 9/2/11
Not 100% sure I will have an entry for this race as, being a championship race that sold out very quickly, I didn't get onto the start list. But, I'm on a reserves list and I've agreed to turn up on the day. If there's a place I will run. If not, I will offer to help out.
So, just in case I get in, I thought it may be a good idea to remind my body how much climbing will be required of it in a few weeks.
I was out for four hours in the end. Some jogging, some walking and a couple of water stops. It was hard going but an enjoyable few hours in the hills.
Kickboxing/ Weights 7&8/2/11
Monday: 75 minute pad work and sparing session.
Tuesday: Upper body weights session.
Tuesday: Upper body weights session.
Carding Mill Canter Fell Race
AS 5 miles 2000ft.
Methuselah came to mine and we popped over to Church Stretton for this enjoyable tough little race. It has a good mix of terrain and gradient to suit all runners.
Methuselah came to mine and we popped over to Church Stretton for this enjoyable tough little race. It has a good mix of terrain and gradient to suit all runners.
The first race of the year, and having not made much of an effort to shed the Christmas pounds, I wasn't expecting a great performance. So, I decided just to plod round and make sure I enjoyed the race. Which I did.
Courtesy of Al Tye Fell Running Pictures
Courtesy of Al Tye Fell Running Pictures I came in just over 5 minutes slower than two years ago, which was the last time I did this race.
Next race next weekend. Hell Runner.
Wrekin run and hill sprints 31/1/11
Jog up and over the Wrekin. Down the other side to the foot of little hill. 4 sprints up little about 25 seconds each. Then with jelly like legs, jogged back round the south side to the car. Out for just over an hour. Didn't want to over do it as after that I drove to Kidderminster for a session of sparing.
Wrekin Training Run 29/1/11
About 5 miles and 1600feet of climbing and descending.
Met up with running buddie Methuselah for a jog around the Wrekin. We've not done much for a while and both found it a bit harder than when we were running the same route last year. Still, it was a great morning to be out and the very slight hangover I had soon washed away as we jogged round in the fresh air.
Hoping to get my first race of the year in next weekend.
Part of the Shropshire winter series Carding Mill Canter is a tough little race.
Kickboxing 24/1/11
Another great night of sparing. 90 minutes.
Only down side is my back gave me a slight twinge. Hope I don't start having problems again
Only down side is my back gave me a slight twinge. Hope I don't start having problems again
Wrekin Night Run 19/1/11
5.4 ish miles and 1600 ish feet climbing/descending.
Nice run up to the top of the Wrekin on a cloudless moonlit night. Running, although still slow, was a lot easier than it has been. I continued down the opposite side then over little hill and descended into the forest. Slightly spooky running through the forest at night. It's so dark and I deliberately have my head torch on a low setting. I could only see about 4 meters ahead of me, but, could hear things scuttling round in the undergrowth and in the trees.
I then run up the gradual slope round the north side with the intention on going round the edge of the hill. Then change my mind and take a right turn towards the foot of the Wrekin. At the foot of the hill I change my mind again and rather than go up I carry on round the south side. Then decide to go up the top via the south flank.
As I was going up all hell broke loose ahead of me. As I looked towards the noise with my dimly lit head torch, all I could see was thirty or so pairs of big eyes looking at me, almost like a cartoon. When I turned my torch up a notch I could see it was a herd of deer. Incredible! It's rare that you see any deer up there and when I have the most I'd previously seen was three. Wow. The deer went down the hill, I went up to the top. Once there I turned the torch off and just used the moonlight to guide my way down to the bottom again. A really enjoyable (if a bit scary) run.
Nice run up to the top of the Wrekin on a cloudless moonlit night. Running, although still slow, was a lot easier than it has been. I continued down the opposite side then over little hill and descended into the forest. Slightly spooky running through the forest at night. It's so dark and I deliberately have my head torch on a low setting. I could only see about 4 meters ahead of me, but, could hear things scuttling round in the undergrowth and in the trees.
I then run up the gradual slope round the north side with the intention on going round the edge of the hill. Then change my mind and take a right turn towards the foot of the Wrekin. At the foot of the hill I change my mind again and rather than go up I carry on round the south side. Then decide to go up the top via the south flank.
As I was going up all hell broke loose ahead of me. As I looked towards the noise with my dimly lit head torch, all I could see was thirty or so pairs of big eyes looking at me, almost like a cartoon. When I turned my torch up a notch I could see it was a herd of deer. Incredible! It's rare that you see any deer up there and when I have the most I'd previously seen was three. Wow. The deer went down the hill, I went up to the top. Once there I turned the torch off and just used the moonlight to guide my way down to the bottom again. A really enjoyable (if a bit scary) run.
Kickboxing 17/1/11
90 minute sparing class.
Feeling alot fitter than last week and really enjoyed tonights sparing.
It seems that the excess body weight is going in the right direction too. Happy days
Feeling alot fitter than last week and really enjoyed tonights sparing.
It seems that the excess body weight is going in the right direction too. Happy days
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