36 miles and 9500ft this week. A bit lower than the past couple of weeks, but coming off the back of a tough race last weekend, a full rest day on Thursday, and a tough XC yesterday, I’m fairly satisfied with...
Building up to hopefully a short AS in Wales next Saturday, which will take me well out of my comfort zone...!
A 3 mile walk with dogs to recce The Tinsel Run, a 6 mile, 1,000ft event, on mixed terrain around Llanidloes next Sunday.
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
Club night tonight in absolutely grim weather (are we getting hit by the tail-end of a hurricane or something).
Was supposed to be 16 x 400mtrs... however to shorten the session a little, and prevent too many rest periods standing getting wet and cold, we did 16 laps straight, effort on the straights and recovery on the bends...
Despite half of the session basically at a jog, still averaged around 6:25/mile.
9 miles tonight, of which 2 miles (32 x 100mtrs) were hard effort.
Indoor bike on Monday and again this morning. Almost out of cold and felt much better today. Planning to venture out for a short potter on Friday morning all being well.
Won't be much, but if it goes OK I'll be off up Darwen Moor this weekend.
Richard Taylor
"William Tell could take an apple off your head. Taylor could take out a processed pea."
Sid Waddell
A gentle 3 mile walk with the dogs this afternoon after the rain stopped. Noticed that High Wheeldon was shrouded in cloud!
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
felt a bit weird this week. I had quite a big weekend in terms of mileage and racing really hard at Mytholmroyd on Sunday. went out for my usual 4.5 mile steady jog along the canal which is usually about 8:30 min/mile, then went out with a couple of people last night for a bit of a run up on the hills. Effort wasn't particularly ridiculous but this morning my legs were really protesting when i went out on the canal again. However, i feel better for having done it. I guess it was a recovery run haha.
Strength & conditioning tonight then i may have to have a day off tomorrow.
Last night a big stairclimber session, 4200ft.
Today was club night, 9.5 miles round the dark and wet streets of southern Cov... four of us doing the full run, all of similar abilities, which meant one thing, it was going to be competitive.... a truly international affair, with France, Zambia, Ethiopia and England(yours truly) on the start line....
My vow to take it easy before Saturdays race lasted about 400 yards before I made a break for it and split the group.... a couple of miles later France and Ethiopia came steaming through like Ivor the Engine, but Ethiopia suffered on the next hill and England regained 2nd place... it was now a two-horse race between the European nations.... France maintaining a 30 second lead into the final couple of miles.... unassailable? Maybe not, as France had to stop to do their lace up, leaving us neck and neck and both throwing the kitchen sink at it.... France regain the advantage, but as we hit the final half mile through the University grounds, England’s fellrunning abilities(???) come to the fore, as we take different routes back to the finish, leaving us approaching the finish line from opposite directions... my direct and very unorthodox route put me back in the hunt, but not enough as France cross the line 3 seconds in front...
A great run out, and I’m claiming a convincing 5-1 (in speedway terms) win for Europe over Africa...
On a less competitive note, it was a stunning full moon tonight as I drove home through the lanes... almost silver light, hardly seemed like night at all... it would have been a fantastic night to be out on the fells...
You a speedway fan, Pete? I've been a long time fan of the the sport. Earliest memories were of Cradley Heath and Wolverhampton on a packed evening fixture. Had to have a rest after school as it was going to be a late night! 😁Originally Posted by Travs
Been to Coventry a few times too.
I’m a fan of the speedway.... as a youngster one of my best friends was a regular up at Cov Bees, although I never went myself, I do watch it on the telly... he also used to go with his dad over to Scandinavia to the big GP events, world finals, etc...
When I was growing up it was Kelvin Tatum, Eric Gunderson, and I think the best at that time was Hans Nielsen...
Unfortunately the only times I’ve been up the Cov Bees stadium has been for the dog racing!
Last edited by Travs; 12-12-2019 at 11:14 PM.
I saw Eric Gunderson many times as Cradley Heath and the then Dudley Wood stadium (now a housing estate! ) were my local team. My big hero back then was Ole Olson who at that time rode for Wolverhampton and latterly for Coventry. Apart maybe from Wolves, speedway in the midlands isn't what is was back then. I love watching the big meetings on the telly though and was in Cardiff last year for the British GP. I'd also love to go over to Poland for the GP one year. Unfortunately fell running and cycling amongst other things keep getting in the way.
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