Winter BG's, Amoxycilin and World War 2 cake

About 2 weeks ago I started to cough, some sort of chest infection, but nothing too serious. Once of my friends who is a GP suggest a useful metric  would be to avoid running if the infection was in the chest, but to continue with head colds. So I stopped running 2 weeks ago. However, I had agreed to pace 2 winter Bob Graham attempts and if you agree to something, unless you are going to do yourself serious harm or be a liability, you still turn up and show willing in my book.

Nick Clark winter BGR attempt is better documented here than I ever could. I was lined up for leg 4 with Yiannis and indeed I has started wondering up Yewbarrow a few minutes before Nick came into Wasdale and called it a day. The reasons were very valid and understandable if you were there.

Nick did not get round, but for me it was s success. I meet a bunch of new great people [Nick, Wynn, Ian et al], had a wonder over Moses Trod with Yiannis to Honister from Wasdale  [would have been a bit packed in the car otherwise] which was fun and I picked up his view on various rounds and how hard they were in comparison to the Bob Graham. The World War 2 cake and soup at Wasdale was just out of this world.

The following week I was going to pace leg 5 for Jim Mann. Jim set off, but found his ankle/knee giving him some trouble as leg 2 wore on. Sounded like they were up on schedule, but bailing was a sensible decision.

One of my reasons for starting Fell Running and to attempt the Bob Graham was to get properly fit as a way of life. I don't get many infection, but some can slow you down. This one was a xmas present from the kids and so I visited my GP this week as 2 weeks of coughing to the point you throw up seemed enough. He put a pulse monitor on my finger and with a concerned look asked if I felt faint. I said not. He then asked if I did a lot of exercise, I explained the fell running thing and he looked a lot happier that my heart rate was below 50 and commented that it was the same region as a elite athlete. Clearly he has not seen me run! One lung has some sort of bacterial infection and so we came out with a prescription for Amoxycilin and should be back running within 4 or 5 days.

Don't underestimate a Jack Russel

Sunday morning was Corndon 3 Peaks Classic morning. A little bit of the Welsh/Shropshire boarder I had not visited and great running ground. Other than there being quite a lot of runnable ground on this race and I am not very good at running uphill runnable ground, I had a great time. Did not do well, but did not do badly. Race had the usual profile, I got passed on gentle gradients. I passed 1 or 2 folks on steep climbs. Got passed on the flat bits and passed a few on each steep descent. Congratulations to the Jack Russell who beat me and the lass who I shared a photo finish with. No doubt Al will have some pics up soon.

1 hour and 3 minutes and as usual I am sure that with some more focused training under an hour is easily within grasp. Priest Weston is one of those gems of little villages that fell races in that area introduce you to. Must go back to the Miners Arms when I am not driving and this is a reasonable route to do as a training run when returning from various places. Had a good chat with Tim Davies (he who won) after the race about training and got some useful ideas.

Monday : 6 miles on fields, lots of up and down
Tuesday : 6 miles on track while waiting for small girl Gymnastics
Wednesday : 3 miles on fields in a bitter wind
Thursday : in Manchester
Friday : 6x200ft hills reps plus a mile or so
Saturday : rest
Sunday : 6 + 2000ft Cordon Classic

Wish for better weather

I find it very easy to go out for a run when the weather is good, even in winter, snow also fine. Steady rain combined wind, much less appealing. The photo above is post run afternoon tea at Findhorn a few weeks back. It was a bit chilly, but just wonderful to sit outside even in early November having done a few miles on the beach. We have been quite lucky weather wise up until the last week or so, but getting out in all weathers is the real test and contributes to the "fell hard" state of mind that Joss etc al mentions.

Some things just sound wrong, but I shall reserve judgement until hear it. There is also a Radio 4 program about the BGR and the music on friday at 11am. The tunes on my iPod during my round was somewhat less classical. I am sure it will be good, but I do wonder if it is something you can really set to music. Guess it depends on your musical background.

Monday : rest
Tuesday : 6 miles, split into 2 bits, some hill, some track while waiting for kids at gymnastics
Wednesday : 7 miles along bank of Thames near Streatly at night. A very memorable run indeed, torch off and still light enough to run along some of the medows
Thursday : Dreadzone in Stroud. My legs were more tried post gig than if I had been running for the duration.
Friday : 2 miles 500ft
Saturday : small girls birthday
Sunday : 3 1/2 miles of wet wetness over hilly fields while it was wet.

Need a long day out.

Good to see Andy back with a plan. Getting him round his round is one of my goals for 2012.

A new focus

I have a bit of new focus in my training. I will hopefully be pacing 2 mid winter BGR attempts over the next few weeks. Nick Clark who seems to have done a little bit[!!] of this mountain running stuff before is having a mid Winter BG attempt and I am down to pace leg 5 along with the most noble BG club sec. The other attempt have yet to "come out", but is likely to be just as competitive and I can for see my efforts to keep up being in the style Pigsy of the 1970's kids program Monkey children's program.





Much of this last 2 weeks training has been done carrying a rucksack which has made it a fair bit more intense.

I was not feeling great last Sunday, so gave the Cardington Cracker a miss. Disappointed, but no point running if you are not up to it. Rest of the weak was a series of shorter and faster runs, including my 1st hill reps for a while.