Charities etc

Well – I’ve just had an email from three peaks organisers – reminding me to finish updating profiles – so I’ve done that.

I’ve also plumped for a couple of charities to support (seeing as there was umm – err – “limited” feedback shall we say). They are:

Practical action – cos Damon has had some involvement with them – and they do similarish things to Water aid etc

and

Lifeboats – cos unlike Mountain Rescue – its something we may all need rather than just 2 of us – and its easy to do centrally. Also Doug has had a long involvement with RNLI and one of our other crew members is also crew for the local Angle lifeboat.

If anyone disagress violently – well tough – you should have shown more interest earlier ! No seriously – any issues – let me know – but I had to plump for something.

Oh – and training etc – well I hear Ben is busy training every Thur – unfortunately at pool – rather than in the pool – but there we go. Doug reportedly has man flu – so didn’t even make it down to his own boat at the weekend (and probably won’t be seen out for a while after Scotalnds showing in the rugby yesterday).

Boat – well I fitted the Dan buoy cradle, and threaded a new VHF cable up the mast (seemed to be a bit intermittent last season – mind you the old cable looked OK as it came out). Sanded back the keel on one side – and re-painted. Even got a coat of antifoul on today. Just over 4 weeks to lift in – so need to get a shift on.

The shoes are dead, long live the shoes

Runners have a complex relationship with their footwear, and for fell runners this is exaggerated by the extreme demands we place on them. If a pair is comfy and wins races it is loved and revered like number 1 wife. They may even get cleaned occasionally. But one bad run, a turned ankle in a race, a slip on the final descent, or even just a nasty blister can see them reviled, left mouldering in the yard, embodying all the negativity of the experience, and in fact becoming the single reason for any athletic failings perceived or real since they were first acquired: “that championship could have been mine if a hadn’t been running in those useless {insert offending make/model}”.

Personally, because my bad runs and athletic failings are frequent and obvious, I tend to have several pairs in this state of purgatory at any one time. Each new outing requires a shoe choice, and these bad pairs can be overlooked for months or years. Then one day, when memories have faded, I’ll give them another go, and sometimes another honeymoon period begins.

The latest to come joyfully skipping out onto the hills after lying malignantly festering are my Inov8 Mudclaws. I got these in November 2005, the prize for winning the WFRA Welsh Open Championship, and loved them to bits (literally) for a few months. Then I used them for the Isle of Jura race in 2006, where I made a big hole in my leg on a pointy rock and struggled home in about 4 hours 15. Useless bloody things!!

But when I started running again in late 2009 after an injury break, I dug them out again, remembering their ferocious grip and feather light weight – wow, great shoes – 1st at Llyn y Fan race, 1st veteran at the Long Mynd Race, a couple of cross countries, and some great runs in the hills.

But shoes wear out, particular when hurtled around rocky mountains, and today after two hours in the central Beacons I realized it was time to end this particular relationship. I must be strong.

Reasons for dumping old Mudclaws:

• too breathable (see photo)
• too lightweight (see photo)
• my feet were not staying inside the shoes
• half the studs have ripped off
• they’ve lost whatever cushioning they had
• people at cross country races were laughing and pointing

They’re not quite in the bin yet, but they will be soon. Really. Or maybe they’d be OK for gardening…?

Welsh XC Championships – Brecon Bronze

After a week of snuffling and coughing (and not running) I wasn’t really feeling like running the Welsh cross country championships, but I knew Brecon AC needed 6 counters, and then Martin called needing a lift so I was committed. A lovely day, Singleton Park (in Swansea) looking glorious (and hilly). Martin jogged me round the course before the race, and I felt blown out already. The course was one small lap then three large ones, adding up to 10.5Km. Barely a flat yard in it, plus lots of squelchy bits.

 

It was not a big field, perhaps 75 runners, so after a couple of miles the field was very strung out. I had a steady run, pulling through the field on the first big lap, taking a couple more on the second, then just failing to catch one more on the third, holding on to 29th place in 44:55. Quite pleased, considering how grotty I felt.

Brecon AC got the team Bronze, with Austin 7th, Martin 19th, Harry 21st, Me 29th, Pete Sowerby and Phil Kendrick a few places further back. Cardiff won with a truly elite team, and Swansea were second.

Running up and down

Long Mynd Valleys Race, 7th February 2010

Last weekend we all went over to Church Stretton for the Long Mynd Valleys Race, 11.5 miles and 4500 feet ascent, most of which seems to be in the last 4 miles. The race always attracts a good field, and at the start I could see Simon Bailey, Pete Vale, Richard Roberts, Andrew Davies (brother of Tim), Tim Werrett, Hugh Aggleton etc.  This race is known to have runners scuttling all over Shropshire even on a clear day, and today the cloud was low and cold. I’ve done it three times before (2003, 5, 7) but never been the same route twice, so this time I had a good look at the map beforehand (and actually brought it with me!).

After my usual leisurely start, I picked my way through the field, until the point where all agree the fun starts, CP5 at Windy Batch. Then at the top of the steep climb I made the stupid mistake of not consulting the map, and simply charged down the nearest ravine in pursuit of two others ahead. Here’s what I did in red, and what I should’ve done in blue. This added about 1.3Km, but did have us on a narrow trod for most of the way instead of the brackeny slopes, so overall I reckon probably lost about 3 minutes. And this map shows how steep the climbs are!

Anyway here I am a while later, about to start the last climb of Yearlet, where men turn to mush as they drag themselves up the 45 degree slope through  tussock and moss.

For anyone still conscious at the top, there is major route choice from Yearlet to the finish. Some hurtle down into the valley, others stay on the higher (longer) route over Ashlet. I took the latter, overtaking two others really because I had made my mind up, while they were dithering, and I absolutely leathered it home to finish 10th and 1st V40, in 1:56:48.

PS daft decision to run in longs – I reckon that cost a couple of minutes as they were heavy and wet and annoying.

Gwent League, Brecon, 13th February 2010

Derek is a persuasive team captain for Brecon AC, and so both Naomi and I lined up for the final Gwent League XC race of the season. The start was the usual frenzy, and someone ahead of me fell and was duly spiked and trampled into the mud. 3 laps, 6 miles and a horrible stitch later, it was all over.

38th place in 36:34. Brecon were second overall, with fantastic performances from Austin Davies (2nd), Martin Shaw (my partner from SIPR 2008!) in 10th, Harry Matthews in 22nd, and me. And got home just in time to see Wales mash the Scots in the final seconds…

Long run

Felt full of cold this morning, but lived up to my promise to do a long run. The family dropped me at the Castle Inn, Pengenffordd, and I went over most of the Black Mountains to meet them at Abergavenny Leisure Centre. I’m not sure of the distance, but I was out for about 3 hours 45 with a pack, so perhaps 20 miles with plenty of climb. For the first time this year, the sun held a tiny glimmer of warmth.

Starting to look a bit frazzled… nearly there. Wondering how the heck I’m going to race 32 miles in 4 weeks time.

Med Veg

I am battered and bruised. Circuit training again this evening, with a new bastard calling the shots. And a brisk run at lunchtime.

But what about the veg… while working with the Oxfordshire archaeologists last Friday, I popped round to Café Loco for a bite to eat at lunchtime. The board showed various baguette fillings, including “Houmous and med. veg.”.  When I reached the front of the queue, I was horrified to hear myself order “a baguette with houmous and medieval vegetables”. The lady gave me a very funny look. In due course I was relieved to find the vegetables in my baguette were quite modern.

While in Oxford I managed a 30 minutes blast along the Thames towpath in gathering gloom, and one of those crack of dawn runs that gets the bowels really moving when you are farthest from home. On saturday, 2 hours up the snowy lanes and tracks to the Storey Arms, from home and back.

Then on sunday my finest hour… I pretty much couldn’t face running any more, so set off on the bike over the Eppynt, and then it started properly blizzarding. I couldn’t see, I couldn’t ride, I couldn’t feel my feet or fingers, snow was actually lying – on me. I made it to the Co-Op in Builth, where I phoned home for a rescue (my second in a month!). Pathetic. Had to eat 6 Mr Kipling slices while waiting, and some sandwiches.

Long Mynd Race this weekend – known to pack in more pain and suffering per mile that any other fell race.