Today's Training

8.5m, 1500ft ascent, twice round the Whangie Whizz route.
A classic scots 'Bog and Burn' route to make the most of a half day off work.
Straight into a stiff lung bursting climb, then carefully pickeing my way over the rocky second half of the climb. It was wet. Then rounding the cliff (the Whangie) the full force of the wind hit me. Suddenly I was putting in tempo effort to move forwards at all. Slightly on and leaning 30 degrees to keep upright, head turned 90 degrees the other away to breathe. The ground was wet, the bogs were knee deep in a couple of places and calf deep the rest of the way, the burn is usually a nice trickle in summer but was now a torrent to be jumped with the bank on the far side in danger of crumbling...made it. Just then at the turn round the cattle had mashed up the peat for a good 100 yards so more boggy grinding it out. Then the final climb to the summit, again a mega wind, being channeled up the two cliffs below, luckily always blowing me away from the cliff edge:eek: .
The dog was going absolutely skipping crazy, frolicing and chasing me back and forth in the wind. Show off!
Hit the summit, briefly into the wind but suck it in big boy this is hill running not cross country. Then the descent but now the rocks I skipped over coming up were ankle breakers and with water, slippy mud and a strong wind behind me it was scary a couple of times, but easy down, no risks taken, tired, at the bottom, I.m alive, that wasn't so bad I think I'll do it again!!!
Finishing exhausted, exhilerated and extatic. This is life, this is running! :D

Jason

12 Miler

12 miles, 1200ft ascent. Good quality run from Cloughfold, Rossendale, Lancashire over Cowpe to Waughs Well, over to Ashworth Moor Reservoir down into valley bottom along River Irwell Valley Sculpture Trail home.

Mostly with the mist down, in driving rain. Usually peaceful moorland, now becoming littered with wind turbines. River Irwell burst its banks so the riverside trail was very muddy and very boggy.

Good quality training!!!

4m to work on singlespeed crosser. Managed to pedal up Ripponden bank for the first time ever, its 1mile and 20 odd % in places. Easy on a bike with gears, grunting hard work on a ratio of 42:18. 4m home in driving wind and rain, home now with beer,lovely:D

Short 3.5 miler all on roads from home -wet wet wet, windy windy windy!!!

Good tough session in Heaton Park with TGD and Jonny.

30 minute turbo session before Kinder tomorrow:)

walk along Howden edge past Swains Head, i've seen dryer swiming pools!

12.5miles along the West Highland Way, first 5 with my partner was a nice recovery run, then then next 7.5 were a steady push home.
Lovely bright still day, great views of Ben Lomond with snow glistening. This really is quite nice. Another lovely run and two 60mile weeks in a row so I am pleased.

Jason

The 3 Peaks - 7:25 :D
Previous quickest was walking it in 9:30 so I'm very happy with the time.
No way am I doing it in fell shoes again! :eek: Coming off Ingleborough was murder.

16 miles 4000ft. Don't usually post in this thread but was a great run and a great day to do it that I wanted to tell people.

A great run in some of the best dales scenery I have witnessed.

Kettlewell to Old Cote Moor drop to Buckden, up to Cray then up to Buckdon Pike, along to the Memorial cross, drop to Sandy gate, along to Tor Dike, up Great Whernside then down into Kettlewell again.

Some great views, some great ascents that were a hard slog but runnable in the most and some very long descents that seem to go on for ages.

Today was one of those days that really remind you why you go running on the fells.