Hinstock 10k multi terrain 23/9/12

Race Site
My village charity run, organised by Newport Running Club, turned from a 5k to a 10k last year. It wanders round the lanes, fields and paths of our village. Would have been a nice plesant run had I not have tried to run flat out for the entire race. Came in 15th out of 130ish entrants. Pleased with the result even though I still didn't get first local (which went to a Newport runner not from round here) not bitter at all ;-)

Peris Horseshoe Mountain Race 15/9/12

AL. 28k 2590m. Set in Snowdonia, Wales, around the Llanberis pass.

I think, for some sadistic reason, this is my favourite race. The first half, a race in its self, has some pretty long, hard climbs with some nice, fast runnable sections in between. But, the second half hardly has any runnable bits at all and often requires hands and feet to get up some of the mountains. Added to that, the weather is, more than not, very unpleasant. I think of it as a "real mans" race, although, there're are some tough women that get round and usually a lot faster than me.
The first half of the race went really well for me. I knocked more than ten minutes of my 2010 time. The second half, although hard, was also going well until, that is, I decided confidently to take a short cut off Snowdon missing part of the Rangers path. A bad mistake considering the weather. I went way off track and found my self contouring a ridiculous scree slope miles away from where I should have been. I think it cost me about twenty odd minutes in the end, but, I still came in fifteen minutes faster than last time.

                                                 Photo from Alastairs site
Got to see Steve again, of Run Forest Run blog his account of the same race before the race, which is always a pleasure. Just glad I didn't see him afterwards, as he may not have been in such a friendly mood.
Sarah Ridgeway local mountain goat was also knocking around the mountains. Not racing, just out for a jog and taking some photos for her blog. Like Steve's photos, they are well worth a look as they show the terrain really well.

Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon 9/9/12

taken a couple of days earlier

I set off to run the race as hard as I could, just to see what I could do it in. Half way round and I was looking good for a sub 1:30 finish. But....with five miles left to run I started really struggling to maintain the pace. I felt fit enough to maintain the speed but, I think, the lack of road preparation did it in for me. My legs were just hurting too much to continue running that fast. In the end I came in with a time of 1:33. Still pleased with the result. Only problem is, I wanted to put road running to bed, but that time has planted the seed of a sub 1:30. I know that if I were lighter, or I trained for it, I could do it. Hmm, I think I leave it until next year though.

photo 'pinched' from  Gwynfor's Sport Pictures Cymru

Next race: Peris Horse Shoe. SBRT?

Ragleth Inn Race 22/8/12

AS. 460m 6.5km

Last race in the Shropshire Summer Series. So, I made an effort to put in a good performance. I was working hard all round and didn't slack on any part of the route. I couldn't have gone any faster up hill but I didn't feel as fast going down hill. Still, in the end I came in six minutes faster than 2010 and four minutes faster than 2009. Very pleased with the result. I am putting the improvement down to the gradual weight loss. I am down to my target weight but now think I can loose some more without compromising upper body strength.

Picture from Al Tye's site Fellrunning Pictures.

 

The next race in my calender is Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon I don't tend to like road running but the scenery round the lake is very pleasant and I also want to get a good time so I can forget about road "halfs"

Borrowdale Fell Race 4/8/12 (tick)

AL.

Everything seemed to go to plan. Better than expected even.
Slow weight loss over the last few months, carb loading 36 hours leading up the the race and some gells to keep me going throughout. That was in contrast to last time when I was heavier, hungry, with only a snickers to energise me through the race.
Last time I timed out at the honister check point. This time I had 0:40 minutes to spare. I finished the race in just under 5 hours. Still slow by many standards but I'm really pleased with the way it went. Hopefully I can continue to loose some excess weight and continue to improve on some previous race times.

Snowdon International Race 21/7/12

AM. Great race a usual.

I had a good run up and managed to pass a few people. I was looking forward to the run down as I usually do well on the return journey. Started ok, but just after this photo was take by Alastair I got some terrible stomach cramps. It was very, very nearly a case of the, world famous, bottom(no pun intended)photo.

I had to walk several times to contain the..........and, in some pain, stumbled to the finish line. Only a couple of minutes slower than my 2010 time. It could have been, a lot, lot worse.

BORROWDALE is looming, in less than two weeks. The thought of which is also causing some discomfort.

Stipperstones Fell Race 18/7/12

AS. Really enjoyable run. The slow weight loss seems to be paying off. Although still not fast, I felt faster going up and seemed to have got back some confidence and speed going down hill. I came in almost two minutes faster than my 2010 time.

                                 Photo from Alastairs FellRunningPictures

Next race is Snowdon International Race in a couple of days. Lets see if I can improve 2010s time again.

Callow Fell Race 1/7/12

AS

762m

8.1km

A lot of climbing/descending in a short amount of distance.
Never done this local race before. It clashes with the Skiddaw Fell Race, up in the lakes, which I usually run. My running buddy "M" went to the lakes and I stayed local. Glad I did too, Callow fell race is a fantastic route in the lovely Shropshire hills. It just seemed to be steep hill after steep hill. I can't even remember how many. I think four or five, none of them runable.
Alastair of FellRunningPictures managed to find three locations for the photos (he must of covered some distance him self).

Bridge shot taken towards the start of the race.

 About two thirds of the way through.

Coming over the finish line. Very demanding AS which I think I would like to do again next year.

Pontesbury Fell Race 27/6/12

AS. I last did this race in 2010 when the race route was reversed. So, it's difficult to work out, again, if I'm any faster, or, much slower. It looks like everyone was generally faster in 2010 so I'm not too worried about being a couple of minutes slower this year. I was faster than in 2009 when the course was in the same direction as last night.
My weight is slowly coming down and I feel like I'm on track to conquor Borrowdale in a few weeks. I have a way to go and a few more races to complete, but, I'm feeling positive.                                                   

Thanks to Alastair of Fell Running Pictures link for the photos and support at the race.

Rodneys Pillar 20/6/12

AS. Reversed route from last time I did this race, so I don't know whether I was any faster, or, much slower. Felt ok.

Thanks as always to Alastair of Fell Running Pictures for his photos. And the encouragement.

Batch Bash 30/5/12

AS. Local race in the Shropshire hills. Really enjoyed this race again. Lovely course.

Shuttlingsloe 26/5/12

AS. Clashed with Cadir Idris. Virtually contracted to run this every year though. Part of the rose queen fate and the area where my Mother in law came from. All proceed go to the up keep of the little church.

Wrekin Streak 25/4/12

AS. Reluctantly went and ran my local hill again. It's always the getting there that's hard. Once I'm there I usually enjoy it.

Llantisilio Mountain Race 31/3/12

AS 6.2 miles 2100 feet.
Really enjoyed the run.
A photo I took a while ago when flying past.

Wrekin Fell Race 25/3/12

AS 519m 8.8km (it's all gone metric)

Up and over the Ercall, up't Wrekin and back again.

Very hot, very slow, but it's the taking part that counts, apparently.
Alistairs photos

Long Mynd Valleys Weekend 4&5/2/12

Organised by local fell running club Mercia fell runners


Titterstone Clee Race. AS. Just about caught the foulest weather we've had all winter. Only time I've ever worn my water/wind proof on a race. Wore it to the start line and decided not to take it off. It was cold cold cold.
I really felt for the marshals and Alistair of : Fell running pictures (pictures)


Long Mynd Valleys Race next day. The worst of the weather had passed leaving a lovely day for running. Although, there were some interesting descents down the steeper parts of the course.

Not my fastest times but another really enjoyable couple of runs.

Morning After Fell Race 1/1/12

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

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 Pictures