The Beep Test

Nearly 18 months of plugging away at chapter 2 of Karate, been lots of fun. Some mountain running for fun, but not a huge amount and do miss it. So while I am pretty flexible and have good short term fitness, I am probably about as fit as when started training for the Bob Graham Round, just 8 years older.

Anyway, decided to do the Beep Test which should be a good indicator of where I am starting again.

• Dad : level 5, 8 laps
• Small girl level 3, 3 laps
• Small boy level 2, 8 laps

Will be interesting to see how it improves.

We have a plan !!!!!

A 32 year goal : taking the black

I started doing karate when I was 16. Did it for 2 years got to purple belt, then stopped when I want to University. Always known it was something I needed to come back to, unfinished business.

The kids wanted to start 2 1/2 years ago, so I went along as dad in shorts with no intention of
starting again quite yet and as a family we have had a great time. Much credit to our instructors, Sensei Simon, Sensei Clive and Sensei Sarah.

If I look a bit stunned, its in part  because I had been hit in the face a little earlier in the day as part of the grading and part because I passed.

In a years time I hope the kids will do their Dan grading, I will continue, I have the bug, but also have an appitite to get back to mountain running is a serious way again.

With Sensei Sherry and Sensei Brennan

Inov mudclaws to white pajamas

Post Bob Graham I decided family time was the most important time. 20 training hours a week slogging up and down hills somewhat takes from family time. Given most teenages would rather be seen dead in a ditch than dancing with dad at a festival, so while they are not teenagers I am making the best of it.

I did Karate from about age 16 to 18, stopped when I went to University, mostly for reasons of rock climbing, so 27 years on when the kids wanted to start, I went along as Dad in shorts and pretended I had never done any karate. That did not last long, it is suprising how it comes back.

Thanks to great instructors [ 2 x 5th dan 1 x 3 dan]  kids have gone from White belts to Purple and I have moved from Purple to Brown 2 white stipes, so Black next for me when I am judged good enough to grade.

I still run, always off road, still love running downhill like a mad thing thats mad, but its going to be a little longer till I get back to really long distances and training commitment, but I will.

Sod it

I took the kids to the University in Aberystwyth this evening for Swiming and dance lessons. Small man and I raced 3 laps of the track while small girl was in dance and before his swimming. As usual I really enjoyed the running, even on the track. I did 4 miles on Sunday night off road and really enjoyed it.I still associate that part of the University, track, sports center, etc with Coach Jon who wonderfully provided some science to my Bob Graham training a few years back.

It got me wondering if there had been any research on loosing your running mojo after doing something significant. In my case now for 2 1/2 years, I an still out running, still in moutains but not
enough to race. I am just not putting the training in. Excuses abound, chest infections, work, stuff to do in the new place, kids, started karate again after a 27 year gap. But I know in the 3 years before the BGR I had the motivation to get out and get the miles and climb in, no matter what. I have the best of objectives, but not the dedication.

The thing is I want to run, and run well, to be as fit as I was again and I don't feel all my running objective have been completed yet, though the BGR will never be topped in terms of experience. There is something missing, but I have yet to figure out what. Might just be a question of my life being a bit on the full side right now.

My running partner is ever so keen for me to my running mojo back

North Rhinogs : cracking day out.

I 1st remember the concept of the traverse of the Rhinog being floated by this gentleman probably 20 years ago. Took a while to start exploring it, but Wednesday was a really nice day and so explored the north section for the 1st time. Not the fastest traverse,  but this was about getting to know the area and what a fantastic area it is. If you have not visited you should, unless of course you don't like mountains.

This is rough ground, part of it are very rough. 10 miles in you know you have done 10 miles.
Some of the navigation after Clip is tricky (at least to get anything like an optimal route). Still great day and I feel the need for some further exploration. Mid week near the shortest day, of course I saw no one else.

Nothing like a view of Port Merion and the power station for a bit of context. Bus and train schedules do not make doing the whole traverse easy, more so in Winter.

back in the swing

Seem to have got back into the swing of things. Now suffering the after effects of 22 good hard miles on some not particular interesting hills to the East of the Cairngorms.

We are back with a plan for next year, more to follow .....

Peter Douglas RIP

Sad to hear that Peter has passed on. For the 5 or so years I have been fell running he has been a regular fixture, taking photo's and more recently video and making them available on the web.

I guess that him and I did not exchange more than a few 100 words in the 5 or so years, but he always had a cheery greeting and words of encouragement.

The fell running world is poorer.

Snowdon race

With Myra away, I enlisted the help of virtual Granny Mo (not a granny by blood, but by deed) to look after the small people while I was on hill and the 3 seemed to have a great time while I was away.

For my fitness (and it was better than I expect) it was tactically just about perfect (again). 1.20 to the summit was OK. Took 0.5l of Nuun and refilled the bottle when I could which was spot on, though maybe should have taken more fast at the last water station at 1/2 way down.

It was a 1st outing for a Chill Tech head video camera. I put it on just after the top to caputre some of the descent. About a minute in my sun-concious worked out I had probably put it on my head upside down, so set it the right way up and my of turned it off. So I got 67 seconds of footage offset at 90 degrees. Still, it was an experiment.

The 1st half of the descent was fast, but did not feel as fast as previous years, just did not have the lung capacity to keep the going flat out. The last 1/4 of the race was brutal. The breeze had disappeared, it was got hotter and I slowed to a jog. Finished in 2.02.48, a little slower than I would have liked by under 2 hours on a hot day is OK. A lot slower than my best time of 1.42, but maybe half down to being less race fit and half down to the heat.

I did see 2 runners go down, one girl I spoke to after had a broken writs and a chap took a nasty fall just below the 1/2 way point.

It is a great race, it does have an element of being a big event, but done in Llanberis style. I am not one for external motivation, but I still get a lump in my throat thinking about running past the Vic. The reception and encourgaement is just great and every year it is such a lift.

After a 3 year gap, I am pleased I ran it again. I do the race for the 1st half of the descent and the run past the Vic and will do it again. Well done Steve and co.

Where am I ?

I spent last night gear and food carrying on the Arran section of the Meirionnydd Round. I had only been on part of that section and our navigator(Rob Woodall) knew the section(and the entire round) rather well, so I just tried to keep up, but spent most of the 4 hours in the dark not having a clue where I was. Visibility was down to about 15ft in places, though at no time was the weather unpleasant or even wet. The same can't be said for the middle section under foot which was just bog with added slippy planks. I enjoyed being out at night again, the company and having a long run.

Bad luck Stewert, much respect for a great  effort and look forward to supporting you when you have your successful attempt.

Drygan Fawr

Starting out about 8.15pm (on my way back from Reading) I got to about 15 minutes from the top of Drygarn_Fawr. This is a place you can guarrantee that on a Tuesday evening in June there will be no one else.

I would have liked to get to the top, but just after 9pm, the sun was starting going down behind the hills, I was *very* lightly kitted out with no torch and there was a significant cooling wind, so decided not to risk a push for the top. The other motive to get down before the light started going was the descent which was fast path over moorland and a very fast run down a gentlly sloping track which was one of the most fun runs I have done for ages. So backing off on the push for the top was a good call.

Out for about 90 minutes, did 6 miles and very much looking forward to going back, next week maybe, but come in from the south.

Properly humbled

Properly humbled by Ras Cwm Pennant last Saturday with a solid last. Still, if I was to pick a race to be humbled in, that would probably be it. 17 miles and 5500ft with lots of rough ground, but a cracking race all the same. Well done to the team (Matt in particular) for putting it on. I did not like the last 4k on the road, but will be back to do it again next year, something to prove.
My lack of training showed, but at least I finished.

It must have tiggered something as I was out 3 times running this week. Couple of miles in the hills about Cwmystwyth on Wednesday morning followed by a dip in the river (a bit on the cold side), 1000ft of steep hill reps on Saturday and 30 mins of less steep, but faster hill reps on Sunday.

Lets see what we can manage this week !

back on the air waves

I know this blog has been dormant since late January. We have been out training a bit.  Have done a few races including the Moelwyn Race in April in super weather.

A couple of weeks ago I was in Phoenix in Arizona at a customer site. Quite hot for a welsh man with temperatures just below 100 F. I did have a couple of morning runs in the hills around Phoenix, lots of people getting out early and lots of cactus!

As the customer was not working over the weekend, I drove a couple of hours north to the Grand Canyon. Loaded up with food and water, I decided to wonder downt he Kieber path and see how far I got.  The advice was to start very early, but I concluded that doing the climb back out of the canyon in the evening would probably be more comfortable. The paths were well marked and very clear and I even took a torch.

 

I encountered a pair of adventure police (Park Rangers) as I was running down, dodging Janpanesee families as best I could and the conversation when something like this

• Ranger : Hi, looks like you are on your own
• Clive : yes
• Ranger  : How far are you going
• Clive : 3rd of water in, 3rd out and 3rd as backup
• Ranger : I like your thinking
• Ranger : said something else but Clive had run out of ear shot

Took about 1 hour 30 mins of not particullary fast  downhill to get from rim to river, with a few photo and water stops.

maybe the bird of prey knew something I did not

 

I made it to the bottom of the canyon, fill up the water bottles (added about 2 litres), hung around, drank, eat among other things a cliff bar I had left over from the Pacific Trails race in January and waiting till 4pm to start going back up on the assumption it would start to cool down.

At the river it was 97 F (hot for a Welsh man) and a lot hotter than 5,500ft higher. It did start to cool about 5pm, but was still warm and it did cool as I climbed up. The return took about 3 1/2 hours but I did not flog myself, particulay for the 1st 2 hours when it was still very hot.

 

I stopped about 300ft from the rim to enjoy the sunset, take some pictures, it was quite something. It is true that you don't get the scale of the Canyon from the rim (or indeed the river), but go maybe 1000ft into the canyon and the scale becomes very clear.

so what would I have done differently. 1st time in this type of environment. My conclusion was 1 thing I would have changed. I would have brought some Nuun tablets with me.

Going forward we have a Merry round to help out on. Might try Moel Hebog race next weekend for a change, something short. Been wanting to do that race for a few years. I also have a big hairy challange in mind, just need to get some serious training unde rmy belt before "coming out".

     and I was stupid enough to pre-register for the Dragon's back in 2015

Going international : Pacifica Foothills Trail Run 50K

I can't find a link to the site now, perhaps it was all an illusion.

In San Fransico area with work for 10 days, so with a spare Saturday, I decided to enter a race.  Using that Internet thing found the Pacifica Foothills race in San Mateo country park just to the west of San Francisco and you could pick a couple of distances : 20km, 30km, 26 miles and 50km. Of course, in the light of having done minimal running since by Bob Graham in August 2011 and not run more than 15 miles in one go since then I decide the 50km (31 miles) would be the most appropriate distance to opt for. Totally logical of course.

The organisation was great, aid stations could not have been more helpful and prepared, you just turn up and run. The folks at the aid stations filled your water bottle with water or electrolyte. As much as you could eat. I found the provided Clif Bars worked OK on the 1st lap, but were too strong/rich for after 15 miles.

I did find the concept of running 2 different loops a couple of times was somewhat alien. There was more climb than I expected, about 8000ft at a guess, but it was never steep and if you were only doing 1 loop it would almost all have been runable.

By the time I finished, the organisers were packing away. I was well looked after and to my surprise I was not that wreaked. Of course driving back to the hotel[ about 40 miles] was entertaining as my legs took turns to cramp up.

Looking east back towards area of the race

So all went well, I paced it just right, but as expected was not fit enough to be competitive, but that was never the point. It was the experience of doing a long-ish US trail race, the people and looking at the Pacifica from a hill I will almost certainly never visit again. These races are not cheap to enter, but it was still I believe for me good value for the experience. I clearly would not fly 6,000 miles just to do a race like that, but if you are there anyway, it would be rude not to sample what is on offer.

A nice place to chill post race

Post race Burrito with a view

Hill east of Llandewi Brefi

• Monday : 8 miles, 1000ft
• Tuesday : hill reps 6 * 200ft
• Wedneday : rest
• Thursday : 6 miles, 1000ft
• Friday : wore myself out chipping wood and destroying a static caravan. Hard physical day
• Saturday : Climbing wall
• Sunday : 8 miles in bog and mist in the hills and forestry east of Llandwei Brefi. Bless the investor of the GPS with a map on.

Planning to enter an Ultra (50km) in the next 2 weeks. Should be a complete heap after it, not that fit or used to running more than 15 mile at the moment. What is there not to like !

New year and all that rubbish, major running plans for this year are

• A anti clockwise Paddy, probably start of July 
• Welsh 1000m race [ and finish it this time, those runner who plan to have convulsions or hyperthemia, please stay out of my may ]
• Sub 4.30 Peris Horseshoe (might be a struggle, 30 minute improvement, but I think it is possible)

Need to get back to serious hill reps if we are going to stand any chance of finishing a Paddy.

Changing some kit

One of the side effects of helping out with the Dragon's Back race was to help me grasp how much outdoor kit had moved on in the last 10 years. So I am slowly sending some of the older stuff off to the school clothes bank and replacing it were and when I find stuff at a reasonable price.

Sportpursuit.co.uk has UnderAmour at a reasonable price a few weeks ago, so off some of my now quite smelly Helly thermals went and I bought a Coldgear Compression Team Mock.

I have used it for doing some work(wood chopping) outside yesterday and today, I also went for a run in it this evening, so some initial thoughts.

• It is slightly itchy when you 1st put it on but that soon goes
• When the UnderAmour is wet and put under just a Goretex jacket, the jacket seems to suck the heat out. Put a thin layer between the 2 and you don't get chilled very quickly.
• Its probably too warm if you are working hard, even on its own, unless it is minus something or you can use the wind to cool you down.
• I put it under a thin fleece when chopping some wood and that was fine. I came in to the house, took the fleece off and got cold straight away, felt like it sucked heat away unless their was something over it. It really is a base layer and does need something over it like a think fleece.

I would be interested to try the warmer weather version or to try this one in cold weather to see how it performs.

So in short, very good for pacing a Winter Bob Graham, not so good for a run down  the coast and a wet, but not that cold November evening.

However, I need to work on my Abs. It is tight enough fitting to really shows up the lack of them.

Cardington Cracker next weekend. not race fit, but going to run it for fun. Might also see if I can get away with doing the Cordon 3 Peaks Classic which is also a great race.

No momentum

I am enjoying each run, but not getting any training momentum together. This week was not too bad and included 2 x 8 miles over rough ground (1 run was to pick up a tractor and  included a commedy of errors with a return journey driving a tractor that died in the middle of the road after less than 2 miles).

No races planned this month and need back into hill reps which seem to make the most difference of the training I have done in the past.

Rowen's cross-country this week, which is something to look forward to.

Thames Path and Arenig Fawr race

Trying to get back into the swing of regular training and not a great week, but not bad either.

• Monday : 14 miles with rucksack along Thames path from Reading to Streetly in Dark. A fine run it was too. Some parts were not that flat and some of the path does not follow the river (hence wondering round a house estate in the dark where the signs pointed me)
• Tuesday : Rest
• Wednesday : 5 miles on coast path plus some climb
• Thursday :Rest (actually just did not have time)
• Friday : Down to sea and back (2 miles 500ft)
• Saturday : 4 miles coast path plus some climb
• Sunday : Arenig Race, 7 miles and 2K of climb. Not a great time, but had a cracking descent. 51 out of about 75, so OK, but shows that I am not race fit. Did recover very quick if we compared to the state I would have been on after running a similar time in 2008.

Rowen has been selected for the country cross country, very pleased and looking forward to going along to that.

and now for a messages from our sponsor

Mt Bloody Windy

Of course, no company is daft enough to give free kit to a tail end of the mid pack runner like me for their running prowess. However, I am really made up with the kit that we got as helpers for the Dragons Back race. Mr. Berghaus gave us the works. Full set of light weight Gore-tex waterproofs, rucksack, warm jacket, 2 base layers, trousers and race T-shirt.

Total value = lots

So, as I have no other medium to say it

Thank you Mr Berghaus. I very much appreciate getting the kit, it is unbelievably light and keeps out horizontal rain coming at you at 70 mph. Thank you for your support of the race.

Mount Clay

So I find myself with a free weekend in Boston in the North East U.S. I had stuffed the Goretex jacket[I think it is one of these] and the insulated jacket [similar to this] and a base layer [Like this but with a zip ] along with shirts, running shoes and the other rubbish a work trip needs. Previously unaware that New Hampshire had mountains (not been to these parts before), I cobbled enough kits from what I had with me, bought a 1:100,000 trail map and headed to the White Mountains to walk/run a loop of Mt's Washington, Jefferson, Clay and Munro. Mt Washington had a bit of the feel of Snowdon with a train running to the top and people wondering round shivering in T-Shirts as they run between the train and the visitors centre.

Mt Jefferson with random dog

Mt Washington is without doubt the most windy place I have ever been. I understand it was an average day and the winds were 70 mph with horizontal driving rain.  The wind only really got up in the last 50 vertical meters which was odd.

A very good day out, but here is the rub, at home I have kit to deal with such conditions, but as I also had to pack shirts and other work related rubbish for the week which is not light, unless I had known I was going to have a free weekend near mountains, I would not have bothered to pack any of outdoor gear, so would not have made the trip. I had no idea that mountain quality kit could be made so light.

The kit I had with me yesterday was light enough and took up so little room in my luggage, that I just packed it anyway. I would not have made this off the cuff trip in the wilds of New Hampshire without the kind sponsorship by Berghaus of the Dragon's Back and the quality  of kit they gave out to the race helpers.

Inspired by the Dragon

Spent most of last week supporting the Dragon's Back Race and a privilege it was to. I had 3 great runs out, learned that the Black Mountain and the Black Mountains are different, got 1st hand experience that organizing an event of that scale is as much of an effort as running in it and meet some really great new people, both competitors and supporters.

Being involved in this race in any way resets your baseline of what HARD really means and I don't think I still really get what this race involved. Many of the competitors I spoke to said they thought it was the hardest race out there. Around 3/4 of the starters did not finish the whole thing. That should not detract from the achievements of those who did part days in any way, but gives some idea of just how bloody hard it was.

I would never be able to do it, I am not physically or mentally wired in such a way as to be able to do the full event over the 5 days.

I have only admiration for Shane, the race director, lets hope he runs it again before an other 20 years have elapsed. This event more than any I have run in or helped at shows that sport(elite or not) is not just about the Olympics and medals.

It has wetted my appetite to run a Mountain Marathon (2 day type thing) next year. Just need to find a partner of similar running outlook and ability.

Change of course, again

I had plans over the last 3 months to train with the Peris Horseshoe in mind and then step up to a long winter event. Training over the last few months has not gone well or been in any way consistent. I have the running mojo back, that bit of the jigsaw sorted itself out quite some time ago. It is just time. Moving house(no small effort), getting the new place into shape, getting the old one in a position to rent or sell has been hugely time consuming. If improving fitness was measured in arm strength, I would be doing well.

So I won't be doing the Peris this year (again) and anyway I am away with work around that time. However, the thought process has brought me to a different goal. I have done long and hard, the Bob Graham was that journey and a great one, but it is not time to repeat that sort of challenge yet and I just don't have the time to go our and run for 4 hours a couple of times a week at the moment. So I am going to try to get fast. Well, faster at any rate. I am going to work on the 6 to 10 mile AM fell race, see how much I can improve and these are the races I plan to do over the next 6 months. Lets see how the power of commitment and guilt works out.

• Arenig Race
• Ras Robell Fawr
• Cardington Cracker
• Cordon Classic
• Long Mynd Valleys race
• Ras-Y-Aran

I might also add in the Aberystwyth Twin Peaks race.

Part of the rational is if I am going for something like a Paddy in 2013/2014, it would be good to get faster 1st.