Middle Pack

I know its a while off yet but Wasdale fell race seems to be flying towards me at quite a rate. Especially now I have cancelled my Saunders Mountain Marathon entry this means that Wasdale is the next big thing that I had planned right at the start of the year.

I am in two minds if I want to be doing this race. It is a British championship and at the start of the year my goal was just the 1 point from the British champs. I entered Wasdale and Langdale, figuring they where my best chances and of the two Wasdale was probably the one where I could possibly get my point. Now I am not so sure.

I remember last years race as if it was yesterday. A true classic, but tough. I think it is just apprehension as I know I have not ran anything like the distances I had last year and I found it tough then. So this year I imagine it to be even tougher. In fact I haven’t ran much past 10 miles in one go all year so 21 miles and 9000″ may be a shock to the system. I am hoping the bike miles and general fitness and stubborness would be enough?

The final decision on this will be made after this weekend, where Iain and Karl both attempt the Bob Graham round. I am supporting Karl from Wasdale early on Saturday morning, yet going up Friday for  a short recce of Wasdale and Borrowdale race (Scafell and Gable area) and a bivi followed by leg 4 of the BG on Sunday so should be getting a fair few lakes miles in and I can see how fit (or unfit) I am and how the foot bears up with some longer milage.

Regardless I am going along to Wasdale that weekend. If I am not racing I will stand at the bottom of Great Gable and watch to see tired runners desperate to stay on their feet as they tumble down the mountain side. Either way, soon after the race finishes I will be in the pub, the only question is will I be able to walk there or will someone have to carry me?

My 3rd race in 4 days was always going to be a painful experience. the Calder Valley Reservoir Bogs was made even more so by the sadistic nature of the course. The route is only disclosed on the day and generally althought navigation to the checkpoints is easy, choosing the best line through the bogs and heather is the real key to a good or a bad race. I set off at a reasonable pace and as soon as I hit the first route choice option, my choice just crumbled. Some shot off to the left of the hill, some went for the direct appoach. My initial choice was the the right of the hill but didn’t see that many people taking it so I went a bit more direct.

That was my first error as some people behind me had taken what was my initial choice and were now running on good paths ahead of me whilst I was trying to pick up small feint trods through the heather. The leading group were going fast and on remembering a thread on the FRA forum about setting off too fast and finishing strong I decided to slow right down to a comfortable speed and see if it works?

The rest of the run to checkpoint 1 was uneventful albeit a guy got close behind me then just stayed there. I was picking good lines and paths through the worst of the terrain, more by luck than judgement so he was content in beliveing I knew what I was doing. Checkpoint 1 to 2 was probably the worst terrain for me. I may just not have seen a path but it was just large tussocks all the way. Stopping any running rythm and then it became about finishing with my ankles in one piece. Only occasionally tussocks would be broken up with a bit of bogs.

2 to 3 was fine! A bit of track, followed by cutting across some short heather, picking up a small trod then bashing over boulders and heather to a small path direct to 3. Then drop down a hill where I just slowed right down. Wanting to get to the bottom in one piece through these head sized tussocks, only for it to the develop into steep sided heather, with a stone wall hidden in the heather. Up the other side and fern up to the chest, again no paths in sight, until a Calder Valley Runner went past us on the smallest of trods and I decided to follow. He eventually decided to cut up a clough but me thinking I would continue, kept on the path, only for it to disappear within seconds so I also made the choice to go up. Eventually getting on a decent path and overtaking a few people who had chosen the bottom route. We were now heading home. A good path until the Calder Valley runner runs off and I decided following was the best option. I knew where I was but this trod we were running on was not on the map so I was staying close. Annoyingly for the 2nd time in a 6 mile race my shoe lace came undone so I had to stop and tie it up again. This lost me a few places but they were not too far so I pushed on. It seems that at the end I was able to push a bit faster, there was some left in the tank to keep pushing. So starting slower was a good thing as in the final 1km I overtook 3 people to end up in 10th position. I was either 10th or 11th at all the 4 checkpoints and the finish so I think the pacing was correct, alebit a bit too fast at the start.

Final results 10th out of 67 runners

Great race! Although local knowledge is the difference in this race.

What a great way to spend an evening! An enjoyable drive up to Kettlewell with a club mate followed by some vague pretence at warming up followed by a great race route up to the top of a ridge, plumetting down the other side then a slow slog back up before a final plummet down to the finish. 5 miles yet 1800ft crammed in there.

After Wednesdays mountain bike race I was tired all day and had a good whine about tired legs and put in my excuses for a poor performance right at the start of the race. Dead legs, tired, its just  a training run etc etc. So with my excuses in, all that was left to do was to jack up on strong caffine drinks, nigella lawson flap jack and run the race.

The race starts with a steep hill with loads of false summits. I tucked in behind my Valley Strider club mate Eirik Stanges and started up the hill. About half way up I took over from him as I saw the first runner gaining a bit of a lead. Off I went and at the top I found myself in second with a fair lead on the rest of the field but a considerable distance away from first position. So the race was then could I keep second and will the first person blow up as that was my only hope of catching him. By the bottom of the hill my position was pretty much the same but with a short flat bit at the bottom it seemed like they were catching and first was getting further away. I knew if I was half way up the hill on the way back I could hold off my club mate but wasn’t sure about the rest of the field. I had lost the leader and never saw him again so I was just looking behind me. Its not a comfortable position to be running as there is no-one to chase and all of a sudden you feel like the hunted.

I managed to run all the ascent and it felt like I was getting some of my ascending strength that I had at the end of last season so was happy with that. Even felt I could have gone a bit faster if needed. The descent was great grassy descent, again I could have gone slightly faster but wanted to maintain where I was in the race and not do anything stupid so just made sure I got to the bottom without falling. Job done there was then a stretch of undulating path that I was trying to push on but there was someone catching me up, and FAST! I was going as fast as I could but he was still catching. The question was then could I get to the end before he caught me? Being careful went out the window and now it was eyeballs out, lung rasping and careless running over rocks, through the odd stream and jumping down small depressions. There was the final field up ahead I could do it!

I managed to hold my position and came second! A quick congratulations to the winner who was looking a bit too fresh for my liking and a shake of the hands of third, who in all honesty if we had a bit longer would have taken me and there would have been nothing I could have done. He was flying the last mile! I then decided lying on the ground was the best thing for me!

Great race and great organisation from Abbey Runners! Congrulations on 25 years!

Final result, 2nd out of 41. Winner was Bruce Elsworth from Wharfedale Harriers (Also the winner of Weets the night before.

I did my first ever mountain bike orienteering race last night. Only 2 hours but still has left me drained today.

The event was local to me, local enough to bike from work then bike home afterwards. I knew all the trails, the only difficulty was finding the checkpoints as they were fire hydrants, road signs etc etc and you had to answer various questions to prove you had been there e.g. what is the number on the telegraph pole, south side of road, how many rungs on the gate.

The evening before I had a quick fettle of the bike and ensured I was running smooth. I tried to put my map board on but the board wouldn’t fit on the handlebars. Ah no map board? I thought about grabbing some cardboard as it was all I had but predicted rain would have destroyed this and I had no zip ties. So option 3 was elastic bands and strapping the map to my arm.

After arriving at the pub/start and starting I realised that it may not be as easy as I thought just to strap a map to my arm. I understand why I don’t see anyone else doing it. Elastic band too tight, losing circulation, too loose dropped off, map in teeth, cannot breath, in hand, cannot brake or change gear etc etc. Decided losing circulation in my arm isn’t too much of an issue so strapped up it was, but it meant that I only had about 4 km square visible so couldn’t properly plan routes and often had to stop to re-arrange and re-fold.

Happy with the way I rode, and the way I kept pushing on. Especially from someone who has not really been mountain biking too long with any serious intent. Just a bit annoyed at not having planned ahead enough to fashion a map board from a for sale sign or similar. Near the end I was close to a further 25 pointer but just didn’t have it in me to get that and get back to base without being late. I figured I could have got some of the 25 points but lost the majority for being late so decided to head back to base.

Final results I came 4th in class with 340 points. Winner was Rik Thompson with 368. I reckon with a map board and less faffing around I could have got that 25 pointer. Putting me in second place. These things you learn. I should be happy with 4th as a first mountain bike orienteering race. Will definately do some more and am tempted by the 5 hour event in Swaledale this weekend but we will have to see. Another race tonight may finish me off for the weekend.

Some good results for the Valley Striders running club, with Maria Dixon first lady and Mick Loftus and mini Mick (Ronan) coming first in the generation class.

Is this the beginning of the end for my foot injury? I really do hope so? As the blog shows, I have been doing a bit more running recently. No real training just going along for the odd race and I have been pleasantly suprised at where I was in the races. Not troubling the front runners but not troubling the sweepers either.Problem was that my foot was no better. It was no worse but still things just hadn’t progressed regardless of what I did in 10 months.

So I did what everyone should do. I listened to my mother. She recommended some guy to go see. He fixed her whiplash neck injury and also fixed her boyfriends various cricket injuries (injury from cricket? Big girls blouse) Although she wasn’t sure what his actual title was or in fact if he was a doctor?!

So, intrigued, I went along to meet this person. I walked in and met this guy with tattos all up his arm, long hair, beard, jeans and steel toe capped boots. I looked around for the guy to help me but apparently this was him? Just goes to show that pre-conceptions are a bad thing.

After briefly telling him the problem and symptoms he said right I can fix that. just jump up on the table and we will pop that bone back in. Errr pop bone in? Scuze me? you said pop and bone in the same sentence? But apparently it wasn’t going to hurt so I went with it.

A quick check of my foot followed by some heavy tugging and all of a suddon I have a load of extra movement in my foot. It felt better? Still the tendons are sore, but not in the same way. More movement, no pain when standing on balls of feet and a lot more stablility? Confused but happy I left. I was in there a total of 15 minutes.

So what was wrong? Well I had managed to partially disocate my cuboid bone in my foot.  As the bone was out of place it was putting strain on my peroneal tendons and causing instability and making my gait even more awkward (I am a supinator). It is called cuboid syndrome or cuboid subluxation.

This misalignment of the bone was putting additional pressure on the tendons. So what was thought to be the problem was actually the symptom.

I am still not 100% and it may all go wrong yet but there is some definate improvement and it is good to see some light at the end of this. I am however VERY peeved at spending a fortune on physio, also going to the NHS alongside and not running for the majority of the last 10 months only to be fixed in 15 minutes.