Wormstones

[Graham Breeze]

I've pencilled in the Welsh 1,000's but am under increasing pressure to go to my nieces wedding in Australia in May. I'm hoping they won't let us in!

I assume your niece won't look at the Forum?

[Llani Boy]

Crikey Graham I never thought about that, although I'd be more worried about my sister reading it!

[Travs]

No particular reason Travs. I was going to give the 50 at 50 a go but my shoulder op in the spring scuppered those plans as I didn't do my first race until May. I managed eventually to get races 17 in last year.

I've pencilled in the Welsh 1,000's but am under increasing pressure to go to my nieces wedding in Australia in May. I'm hoping they won't let us in!

It's only New Years Day and already my race plans are unravelling for this year. I've got a family funeral in Mid-Wales this weekend so it is putting my attendance at the Trigger in doubt.

Not the best start to the year.

Have you received your WFRA calendar yet?

Not yet...

Although the WFRA site does have the January races posted up... and the dates are up there for the champs and regional series races...

Also ones that i know of...

Four Fans 9th July
Peris 24th September

[Travs]

Llani, my WFRA calendar arrived today!

[Llani Boy]

So did mine.

[Llani Boy]

Another of what is becoming an annual NYE trip over to The Beehive on Hague Street, Glossop for the Wormstones Fell Race.
One of Des Gibbons famous Glossop Fell Races with the usual spot on organisation. 164 runners this year on a day that threatened rain which did not come. I messed up the start (again) and lost over 30 seconds queueing at a stile. A bit wetter underfoot this year which made the boggy descent down the Grouse Butts fun.

I was a minute and a half slower than last year and finished 2nd M60 (again) in 52nd place. 51st was someone who has just turned 60 and 53rd was also M60. A very competitive category!

One of my favourite short races and already looking forward to next year. A nice pint of Ossett Yorkshire Blonde 3.9% in The Beehive afterwards (again)!

[Llani Boy]

Have had a sore throat and cold for the last couple of days so when I awoke this morning after a disturbed nights sleep with a fully bunged up nose, Wormstones didn't seem to be the best idea. However I had arranged to pick up a friend and rather than let her down decided to drive over and possibly spectate.

We arrived over an hour before the race began but there were plenty of people around. I picked up my number, just in case, and we went for a walk, to show Joanne the start and the bottleneck stile which I messed up getting to quickly enough last year. The forecast rain looked as if it might keep off but it was cold in the wind as we warmed up. A bit of coughing and spluttering but my legs felt good so I decided to start. The race was delayed by 15 minutes due to the numbers that turned up, over 300 I'm told.

I elbowed myself towards the front as Des gave his final instructions and off we went on the hoot of his car horn as he sped off up the road to block a junction!
A frantic 500 yard tarmac stampede to the first stile and I got there in around 30th which caused me only a couple of seconds delay and then straight down a steep bank where I passed 4 or 5 runners, a couple of which had gone arse over tit. Over the stream and then a sharp single trod pull up into the Gnat Hole woods, where I gallantly let the eventual winning lady past me, as she had got held up in the shenanigans on the steep bank.

Out of the woods onto the open moor and an almost mile runnable drag past Wormstones to the TP at Harry Hut. I had gone off too fast and was coughing and spluttering again as well as struggling to breathe properly but only around half a dozen passed me so I wasn't far off a true position. It was very boggy from the TP to the short flagstoned section and then extremely boggy on the descent to the shooting cabin where on numerous occasions I felt that suction sensation in the heel of my right shoe which is usually followed by barefoot running! Fortunately I remained fully shod. I picked up a couple of places on the early track descent but lost some further down and lost one more on the final pull.

I finished, absolutely spent, in 36th and 1st M60 in 44:38 and 2 mins faster than last year! The race was won by Dan Haworth in 32:58 and the first lady was Abbie Pearse, 19th o\a in 40:57. Joanne was pleased with her 4th lady, 45th in 45:52 so well worth the trip over.

Another great ending to the year and hopefully this lurgy will have gone in time for next weekends Derbyshire XC Champs. No New Year celebrations for me, as in addition to being a miserable bugger I am shattered, so am going to be sensible and have a real ale free early night.

Happy New Year all.

[Travs]

Well done Llani and good luck at the county champs!

[mr brightside]

Have had a sore throat and cold for the last couple of days so when I awoke this morning after a disturbed nights sleep with a fully bunged up nose, Wormstones didn't seem to be the best idea. However I had arranged to pick up a friend and rather than let her down decided to drive over and possibly spectate.

We arrived over an hour before the race began but there were plenty of people around. I picked up my number, just in case, and we went for a walk, to show Joanne the start and the bottleneck stile which I messed up getting to quickly enough last year. The forecast rain looked as if it might keep off but it was cold in the wind as we warmed up. A bit of coughing and spluttering but my legs felt good so I decided to start. The race was delayed by 15 minutes due to the numbers that turned up, over 300 I'm told.

I elbowed myself towards the front as Des gave his final instructions and off we went on the hoot of his car horn as he sped off up the road to block a junction!
A frantic 500 yard tarmac stampede to the first stile and I got there in around 30th which caused me only a couple of seconds delay and then straight down a steep bank where I passed 4 or 5 runners, a couple of which had gone arse over tit. Over the stream and then a sharp single trod pull up into the Gnat Hole woods, where I gallantly let the eventual winning lady past me, as she had got held up in the shenanigans on the steep bank.

Out of the woods onto the open moor and an almost mile runnable drag past Wormstones to the TP at Harry Hut. I had gone off too fast and was coughing and spluttering again as well as struggling to breathe properly but only around half a dozen passed me so I wasn't far off a true position. It was very boggy from the TP to the short flagstoned section and then extremely boggy on the descent to the shooting cabin where on numerous occasions I felt that suction sensation in the heel of my right shoe which is usually followed by barefoot running! Fortunately I remained fully shod. I picked up a couple of places on the early track descent but lost some further down and lost one more on the final pull.

I finished, absolutely spent, in 36th and 1st M60 in 44:38 and 2 mins faster than last year! The race was won by Dan Haworth in 32:58 and the first lady was Abbie Pearse, 19th o\a in 40:57. Joanne was pleased with her 4th lady, 45th in 45:52 so well worth the trip over.

Another great ending to the year and hopefully this lurgy will have gone in time for next weekends Derbyshire XC Champs. No New Year celebrations for me, as in addition to being a miserable bugger I am shattered, so am going to be sensible and have a real ale free early night.

Happy New Year all.

Your description of your breathing troubles are familiar to me, it's how I feel all the time now. Your brain knows how fast to move your legs, but your lungs can't keep up.