mr b's comeback

[mr brightside]

Today's attempt- A bit of something, 7m/1000'

Only just dragged my chilled carcass out this morning, if i'd have lit the stove i'd never have left the house. Rain, wind, squally. Decided on a lap of the Strid Wood going over the aqueduct, for want of something better. Then realised i've only ever run the loop anticlockwise so ran it back the other way to ease my guilty conscience, guilt at not being bothered to hit the hills. Came accross a very large fallen tree on the top path, it had taken out part of the path on its way down, repairs will be needed. Tea and cake in Buffers...obviously.

[mr brightside]

No midweek this week, i had quite a bit of the old quads tendonitis after last week's trail run. I think the hard surfaces have something to do with this, as it's not the first time i've been hit by this after a run at the strid.

Today's run- Old Cote Moor Top, 7.2m/1400', a thorough examination.

routemap20.jpg

Littondale was very wet, there was water pouring out of the bases of the dry stone walls in places, and up on the fellsides there was whitewater gushing from cave portals. The normally tranquil and serene riverside path was part of the river for the better part, and a stream feeding the river for the rest of the way. The fields were sodden and the track into Arncliffe was running quite fast and deep, i saw a guy putting a canoe away in Arncliffe, you don't normally see canoeists on the Skirfare. I ran the full 1000' up to Old Cote High Moor and felt good for not dropping to a walk, it was a slog. The top was very boggy and on the way down i was wishing i'd gone for mudclaws. Smashing pint of Wharfedale Blonde in The Queen's afterwards.

[mr brightside]

Midweek XC tonight, 2.5m/290'

The fields are so muddy i might have to take the bike out instead, even mudclaws are struggling and begin to feel like clogs after a while. Lots of kneeling down at work recently, it's causing issues!

[mr brightside]

Today's run- Buckden Pike, 7.4m/1720'

routemap21.jpg

The summits looked a bit snowy from the valley floor today; all was very quiet, the only disruptions to the quiet being the odd chainsaw or tractor. There weren't many people about and i was spoilt for parking choice in Buckden. I aimed to run the full 1300' up the Walden Road to the ridge above Starbotton, but the going just got more and more difficult. Snow, iced over bogs that you bust through and go in up to your knees, verglas on stones. I was dropped to a walk on several occasions, the conditions were soggy, saturated and freezing. Some walkers were braving the conditions to summit the Pike, one stopped to photograph me as i descended to the mine. The path down the gill back into Buckden was hard to make out and non-existent in places due to water, everywhere is really wet. Still got this tendonitis thing again from 2 weeks ago, i've started voodoo flossing just above my right kneecap in the mornings- this technique is supposed to give a really good myofascial release for not much time spent. I think i have a big scar tissue problem which is why i keep seeing this thing over and over again, i've got nothing to lose.

[Derby Tup]

A good run out that Luke. Stick at it mate

[mr brightside]

A good run out that Luke. Stick at it mate

Cheers Andy, i've stepped up the weekend mediums with a big increase in climb, weights sessions have been dropped they were causing too many issues. Anything above my own bodyweight seems to cause issues of some sort; even if i'm hauling my own bodyweight for 2 miles up 1300' of climb so steep i can only just keep running, it still seems to take less out of my knees. Over that distance you can experiment with muscle recruitment too- if you fully straighten your leg and drive off your forefoot it gives you sensations of strain and burn that are different to whatever your natural pattern may be. It gives you something to think about in any case, and takes your mind off the utter exhaustion of it all.

[mr brightside]

No midweek this week, bit of a flare-up after 2 weeks of big climbs.

Today's run- Bigger Rabbithole run, 9m/1600', longest run to date

routemap22.jpg

I wanted to get round this to see if the route back over from Grimwith was on or not. As it turned out it was nothing like the route on the map and was basically a tour of all the Pheasant feeders on a soggy patch of moor; still, it got me back over. There was a horrible sign on the gate at the end about it being no public access etc, one of those situations where you find yourself penned onto access land by a very thin and continuous strip of non-access land. It was a good job i discovered a penguin in my bumbag to eat half way round, all the thrutching and towing over Katty White's Allotment was knocking the wind out of my sails, but still, i managed to run the lot save for stops to check the map; felt like i'd pulled my tripe out when i finally got back to the car. Only saw 3 people all the time i was out. The new precision fit Talons are a vast improvment and i'm seriously thinking about making them my staple training shoe, it's just a shame they have rubbish grip. Anything grippier holds onto far more water, it's a shame you can't get them with Walsh soles. Saw a pheasant carcass today which had been picked absolutely clean; it was the full skeleton, every bone in place, with nothing but the feet left on in terms of flesh, yum yum.

[mr brightside]

Today's run- Wansfell race, 2m/1300'

I thought i'd do better than i did today, i've been doing a bit of hill work over recent weeks, but another Wansfell got the better of me by a long way. You need to be a regular on the short scene to do well at this and i'm not. I'm looking to get enough counters in at the KWL this year, we'll see how that progresses!

[mr brightside]

Today's run- KWL Scout Scar, 4.8m/some feet

It soon comes round doesn't it. No midweek this week, Wansfell left me with more questions than answers, fired into the opening race today with balls of steel. I noticed a certain young lady runner was a bit ill or something today, so decided she was going to be dragging/pacing me round. They change the course quite often so it's difficult to plan a strategy, but it looked like there'd be a long last descent followed by a long climb and a run in. I got clear on the last descent, the going was pretty slippy, but i just turned a blind eye to it and ran hard; my pacer caught me on the last climb and left me, i was flagging and got picked up by the next group. I regained my advantage on the run in and nearly lost it again in a nailbiting sprint finish; he was clear of me, but began to slip on the mud close to the funnel mouth and lost his placing. It's testament to never giving up really, that and having the right shoes, i kept on driving for the funnel and got it by a foot or two. All in all it was an auspicious start.

[mr brightside]

Today i tested a hill near my work for interval suitability, looks good for a 30/60 secs run/rest. Run up and the walk back down takes about a minute if you go slowly. I only get half an hour for dinner so after a warm up i can get in 2 sets of 4 quality reps. Midweek XC is going to have to be shelved until the fields dry out, it's a massive battle just to stay on my feet.