Wrekin Fell Race - Piccies

[altye]

Pictures from the race can be found:-

http://www.fellrunningpictures.co.uk...lrace2010.html

Al.

[nightingale]

Thanks Al. Great shots as usual.

I really enjoyed that race. I've never done it before even though it's my local hill that I do most of my training on. Legs are a bit sore today

[alanj]

great pics Al as usual - just for about 5 seconds there, I wished I'd done it myself....
Nighty - i thought those first pics were coming down the Wrekin until you rightly pointed out in your blog that they're on the Ercall. Some steep bits there - the pics don't do it justice! Been reading your blog mate and I reckon running while carrying a log for the fire must count as extra weight training btw tried the Ercall Woods? there's always a load of stray logs/ fallen stuff up near the top there.

[nightingale]

great pics Al as usual - just for about 5 seconds there, I wished I'd done it myself....
Nighty - i thought those first pics were coming down the Wrekin until you rightly pointed out in your blog that they're on the Ercall. Some steep bits there - the pics don't do it justice! Been reading your blog mate and I reckon running while carrying a log for the fire must count as extra weight training btw tried the Ercall Woods? there's always a load of stray logs/ fallen stuff up near the top there.

alanj, I think I'm going to have to be carefull about what I post on the blog. It's only a matter of time before one of the foresters reads it and realises where all the wood's going I only found out recently that MattR AKA cotswold sway is a forester himself. Good tip off about the Ercall I'll have a look.
P.S. you should have a go at a race. Wrekin Streak coming up. As you probably know it's about half the height and distance of the Wrekin Fell Race.

[alanj]

Cheers mate. Yeah I should have another go.
Tell you what, there's some serious tree logging been going on round the Wrekin/ ercall the last few months (that's not including the Opencast Mining prep works over the Short Wood)
I've done the fell race and the Streak a few times over the years, just struggling with an ankle injury I originally picked up at last year's Mortimer Forest, but there is some improvement so keeping my fingers crossed for the Summer Series. Off to Cornwall next week and may try to run up to Brown Willy (...stop sniggering at the back there...)

[nightingale]

Cheers mate. Yeah I should have another go.
Tell you what, there's some serious tree logging been going on round the Wrekin/ ercall the last few months (that's not including the Opencast Mining prep works over the Short Wood)
I've done the fell race and the Streak a few times over the years, just struggling with an ankle injury I originally picked up at last year's Mortimer Forest, but there is some improvement so keeping my fingers crossed for the Summer Series. Off to Cornwall next week and may try to run up to Brown Willy (...stop sniggering at the back there...)

I thought you'd probably done the races before. If you do the Streak, say hello. I'm usually at the back

Have fun on the Brown Willy.
Me, snigger ? hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe.
GROW UP NIGHTINGALE !

[Just a Lurker!]

Pictures from today's race can be found:-

http://www.fellrunningpictures.co.uk...lrace2010.html

Al.

Thanks Al - and yes you did manage to get me vertical - and smiling It looks as though I wasn't trying (as if!)

[Travs]

Anybody doing this on Sunday.

It's the trial for the inter counties for a number of 'Midlands' counties, so might be some stiff competition (hopefully not too stiff in the Warwickshire section)!

Didn't realise how steep the race was until looking at the stats and the map. 5.5 miles though, have not run a race that short since my very first race, so I'm thoroughly expecting my lack of pace to get exposed, and have a backup plan of going flat out from the start, which will probably be a spectacular failure.

[anthonykay]

Didn't realise how steep the race was until looking at the stats and the map. 5.5 miles though, have not run a race that short since my very first race, so I'm thoroughly expecting my lack of pace to get exposed, and have a backup plan of going flat out from the start, which will probably be a spectacular failure.

I think it's a bit too long for "flat out from the start", although you do need to put in some effort going up the Ercall. But then use the short road section between the Ercall and the Wrekin to steady yourself in preparation for the really steep climb on the lower part of the Wrekin. I always used to make up a lot of places going up that steep bit (and then lose some of them coming back down it!).

[Travs]

with the start line situated on a quiet side road on the edge of Telford, it didn't feel like fell racing territory. But seeing the all-time list of times on this race, featuring names like Wild, Wilde, Kinch, Bailey, Bland, Norman, Devine.... Told me that this was a race with a great pedigree and history.

After last weeks exertions at Haworth I really felt rusty, but it's the trial for the inter counties so I thought I had better turn up and give it my all.

Top runner Ross Campbell turned up with a dozen mates from the RAF for their first fell races, to raise money for an injured colleague. They were all in fancy dress, which resulted in celebrities such as Rambo, Superman, Mario, Batman, gracing the starting line. I had a titanic battle with Snow White during the second half of the race, finally losing out on the final descent. But witnessed a fantastic sprint finish between Boris Johnson and a giant hotdog.

As for the race, a departure from my usual long races, 5.5 miles. Some real steep sections, notably the lower half of the Wrekin itself. The undulating summit ridge goes on for much further than expected on the way up. Generally a great surface for the speed merchants, although a few handily placed trees no doubt caused some alarm on the descents. Slogged my way up in 30mins, and a fast return the same way in 21mins. A time which would have seen me pushing the top 20 last year, but only good enough for 44th today, with it being the county champs for Shropshire, and inter counties trial for 3 counties.

Found out that my ascending is about comparable to where I usually find myself in the field. However my descending on the steep stuff got exposed today, in the fast 'A' races it is still very poor.

Great course, plenty of supporters on the course and the marshals as always were great.

As for the inter counties, I was 4th in Warwickshire, whether enough to see me through, I'm not sure. If it does, avoiding dead last at Moel Elio would be an undoubted high point.

Pete