Callow Fell Race 1/7/13

AS 8.1k 762m
One of the toughest short races in the calendar. I woke up with a stinking cold and really wasn't feeling it at all. Only went because I'd arranged to meet some friends from Brum.

Nice shot with Caradoc, Lawley and the
Wrekin Hills in the back ground.

Thanks Jim

Struggling on the first climb

I just wanted to lay down in the stream
Two more climbs to go.

Pontesbury Fell Race 26/6/13

AS 4.9k 354m
Very slow. Legs still sore from the half marathon a few days earlier, going carefully for fear of tweaking my ankle and I'm a fat bastard. Good fun though and I got given a couple of bottles of beer afterwards. Woohoo

Trail Marathon Wales (half) 22/6/13

Web site Trail Marathon Wales 13.1 miles and 2200ish feet of up and down.
Fantastically well organised trail run organised by Matt Ward Matt Ward's Blog and other local enthusiasts. Held in coed y brenin which is in the Snowdonia National Park.

Photo kindly sent to me by Alastair
of Fell Running Pictures

I managed to stagger through without upsetting any of my many injuries. I would like to go back and have another crack at this. It is set in a beautiful part of the country. 

Rodneys Pillar Fell Race 19/6/13

AS 6.3km 290m
Legs still stiff from the long race I completed three days earlier. Slow going up. Felt ok going down until I tweaked my ankle. Agrrrr

No Alastair taking photos this year.
Took this one a couple of days after

Bradda Fell Race 16/6/13

AL 24km 1250m
We, as a family, went to the Isle of man for a few days break. So after a few days of eating and drinking too much, I thought I would enter a 15 mile fell race. When will I ever learn?
lovely route,

• The race starts and finishes at Bradda Glen GR 193696.Unmanned Punch (1). is at Bradda Tower
• Continue north on the Raad ny Foillan footpath towards Fleshwick. Descend to the Fleshwick valley (counter check 1) GR 201713.
• Left towards shore and then climb on the Raad Ny Foillan before branching off to the right at the top of the wall to follow the Carnanes track towards the Sloc, (Counter Check 2) GR 217734.
• Rejoin the Raad ny Foillan and ascend to the summit of Cronk ny Arrey Laa Unmanned Punch (2), GR 224746.
• Descend on the easterly track, cross the Eary Cuslin fire track GR 233747 on to Cronk Fedjag and follow the path to the Round Table Cross Roads GR 248759.
• Cross the Round Table Road and ascend to the summit of South Barrule GR 259759 Unmanned Punch (3).
• The race retraces on the same route in reverse to unmanned checkpoint (4) on Cronk Ny Iree Laa and then the Sloc (Safety Check 3).
• From the Sloc continue on the Raad ny Foillan ascending Lhiatee ny Beinee Unmanned Punch(5) GR 212728.
• Continue on the track and descend back in to the Fleshwick Valley Safety Check (6) GR 201713,
• Return back to Bradda Glen on the same route following the coastal footpath and via Bradda Tower Unmanned Punch (7). Finish back at Bradda Glen

Dispite rumors of two headed, and three legged, runners on the island, they were all a really friendly bunch, as fell runners usually are.


Does my bumbag look big in this?

Batch Bash Fell Race 29/5/13

AS 4.8km 305m
3rd race out of six which comprise the Shropshire Hill Summer Series.
It is nice to be in the hills but frustrating to still be injured and over weight.
A friend summed it up nicely "injury never seems to go away totally, it just moves around". And that seems to be what is happening to me. Started with a back problem, then piriformis problem, then knee and now ankle. And while this is going on, I can't put as much training in as I want to.

Shuttlingsloe Fell Race 27/5/13

AS
Back to Wildboarclough in Macclesfield for my 6th run of this great little race. It's still probably my favourite short race. Starts at Crag Hall, on one side of the valley, down the field into the woods, over the stream, up the steep incline and out of the woods, then to the top of Shuttlingsloe hill and back again. A good race for the spectators at the hall as they can see most of the race.
I didn't do it in a particularly fast time but I enjoyd it all the same.
Found this unofficial video on utube of the event. I remember seeing the woman with the camcorder. No idea who it was and I hope they don't mind me pinching it. Gives you an idea of what the event is like though.

Gold at Cader Idris Race

AM 16.9k 915m
Cader Idris Race page
Well, sort off. Spot prize given to me as I crossed the line. I guess they thought I looked like a man who enjoys real ale a little too much. Wonder why they thought that?

Fell Running Pictures

Caradoc Classic 8/5/13

AS 5.6k 268m
Didn't really fancy doing this on the night. My legs were still sore from a 2 hour jog two days earlier.
But, I was promised a couple of samples of beer from a fellow home brewer which gave me some incentive to get my self out. And, as always, once out, I really enjoyed it.
I was a minute and a half slower than last time I did the race in 2010 but as I was still recovering from the injury and the weight had gone up again, I didn't mind too much.

  Alastair's Awesome Fell Running Pictures site here

Wrekin Streak 24/4/13

AS 4.5k 247m 70/91 28:45
Only four days after "Aniversary Waltz" and my quads and knee were still sore.
My lungs deffinetly worked harder in this up and down AS than the AM"AW".

Fell Running Pictures

Anniversary Waltz Fell Race 20/4/13

AM 11.5miles 3600ft 2h57min
http://www.anniversarywaltz.co.uk/

The 17th run of this modern Lakeland classic. 
An absolutely perfect day for running. Hardly a cloud in the sky, the sun was out but with a nice cooling breeze. I'm still slowly coming back from my injury of late last year so I was just along for a nice jog to stretch my legs. I had a lovely amble round with some nice chats with fellow runners.
At the end I took advantage of the free beer on offer while I waited for my running buddy to return from his longer race, Teenager with Altitude, which had started off an hour and half before mine.
My leg and back felt a lot better than they have done. Only slight niggle, I think due to a weakness in some of my leg muscles, is my knee seemed to have taken more impact than it used to and it was pretty sore afterwards.
In general though, A fine day out in the hills.

Carding Mill Canter 10/3/13

AS 7.8k 580m
Hadn't run, appart from a few short sessions on the tread mill, since the Valleys weekend four weeks earlier. I'm still pain free from my injuries but have alot of weakness in my right leg.
I ambled round slowly but generally felt alot more comfortable than I did a few weeks ago. It feels like there might be light at the end of the tunnel after all.

Photo from Alastairs Fell Running Pictures site.

Long Mynd Valleys weekend 9&10/2/13

Titterstone Clee AS
Short race of about 2.5 miles and some climbing.
Still injured and this was the first time out in 2 months, so, this was just a tester. Even so, I took a crap line up the hill and even worse coming down so an inevitable slow time was even slower than expected. Oh well, the back/leg didn't feel any worse for the outing so would consider doing the long race the following day.

Long Mynd Valleys AL

I didn't really expect to be able to complete the race but thought a good walk wouldn't do me any harm.

It was the flat section on top I thought I would struggle with but in the end managed to plod over, then thought, I may as well continue to the end. Time was the worst ever but I still managed to get my hand on one of the much coveted mugs for completing both races.

My injury was diagnosed as a trapped sciatic nerve in both my lower back and in my buttock(piriformis?) This resulted in excruciating shooting pain in back and leg which left me virtually debilitated for a couple of months. After several sessions of physio and months of stretching the pain has now gone but left me with a loss of sensation in my right foot and a reduction in strength of my calf, hamstring and quad. I may be able to get the strength back or I may have some permanent nerve damage. Who knows? I'll just have to continue with the stretches and hope for the best. I've bought myself an exercise bike in the hope that I can stay reasonably fit and not put on too much weight.