No sooner do I commit to an event, I finally get my hospital appointment and have to cancel the training. Argh, back to gentle 5k runs for a few weeks.

Went to have a go at the Round Sheffield Run route. Took it easy, walked the steep bits, feeling pretty good until about the halfway mark when I rolled my ankle. Bah. Walked down to the main road and got rescued by my wife.

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Sat Oct 21, 2023 8:46 pm Went to have a go at the Round Sheffield Run route. Took it easy, walked the steep bits, feeling pretty good until about the halfway mark when I rolled my ankle. Bah. Walked down to the main road and got rescued by my wife.

Oh no - it's a lovely route, hope you recover fast and get round it soon... Are you doing the RSR winter race? As if so, I'll keep an eye out for you. (I'm first and last around the course, checking it out and then taking down signs/sweeping)

I have at least now run all of it, albeit not in one go. Not sure if I'll enter the big event, I'm focussing on distance rather than speed, and like to stop and admire the light through the trees etc.

Last nights run, but went on a local Halloween run in costume, with scarers, music and props at strategic points on the course. There must have been over 60 people with the vast majority in costume, it was a giggle. Running in a velour onesie was an experience, I probably lost a kilo.

OMM, B course with my mate who'd just about recovered from Covid 2 weeks prior. 18th male team, happy with that as we're technically vets, but at the OMM you have to be over 45. So his 55 and my 43 don't quite work out. Still a great day out.

Next year.... it's in Scotland. Already entered with my wife for mixed pairs. As she's put it "our tent wedding anniversary".

A weekend racing in the Forest of Dean. Two wonderful days of orienteering with family and almost half the club travelling down from the Pennines to race.

Saturday - a fast section of forest with really nice running trails and excellent fast running through old forest. 8th overall, 2nd V40. Happy.

Sunday - an even more wonderful day! Wet as a bog, but great forest running on complex terrain. 8th again, but in a much more competitive field. Even happier.

Link to the courses here for a peruse: https://www.bok.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/# ... oute=50133

Currently on day 17 of my December run tradition, going well, but starting with a very competitive race may not have been the best of choices :)

Going well, and really, enjoying my running!

A run/walk/scramble up and around the Ercall and Wrekin today. Approx 12km/660m. Great views at the top when I wasn't nearly being blown over. I won't have set any speed records, but when I wasn't desperately scrabbling for grip on the steep bits, it was lovely to be moving.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C1PS6W3s3uf/

Just a short one up the valley through the local woods this lunchtime. Good to be moving, the woods are looking pretty, and I had a woodpecker flying along in front of me for a bit.

Not been for a decent run in a while, and had a day off with lovely winter weather yesterday....

Parked up to the north of Kinder Scout (blackden brook), ran/scrambled up a frozen gully, avoiding the frozen waterfall as I was alone, to the north edge of the kinder plateau and then across the top so I could look down into Edale.

The south edge was "busy" - saw at least 12 people while running along, compared to the peace on the north edge. Left the path via a bit more scrambling, headed over the "summit" and along the frozen river kinder. Downfall was frozen, and had another dozen or more people plus dogs there. I decided that was far too much humanity for the day off, so headed across to sandy heys Trig and then across the rough stuff to my natural habitat on the north edge. Lovely few miles back around the edge - got a bit chilly there, but lovely to be running on frozen peat rather than sinking up to the calves in it!

Then for one of my favourite running descents - off from Seal Stones down a lovely grassy hillside which steepens up towards the bottom. Then a last walk up to the car to my waiting cup of tea! 17.5km, 620m up and down and loads of ice!

Yesterday morning's run was in the woods. I'd originally planned to head up onto the moors, but snow flurries suggested that mightn't be the best plan for a short outing before my first meeting of the day. Instead, I headed for milder conditions amongst the trees, where in addition to numerous Squirrels and Magpies, I spotted a plump and glossy Jay, and a very cooperative Redwing that got close enough for a credible photo (pic 2) before jetting off in search of more berries.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2KreSNMuBA/

Went out for the first run since Halloween at lunchtime - only 5k on pavement at a sedate pace but it felt good to be out even if it was drizzling. My plan was to just get used to running multiple times a week for a couple of weeks and then start building up the distance again

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 21, 2024 5:14 pm Went out for the first run since Halloween at lunchtime - only 5k on pavement at a sedate pace but it felt good to be out even if it was drizzling. My plan was to just get used to running multiple times a week for a couple of weeks and then start building up the distance again

I’m on the same journey. Running 3 days a week short distances to get back in the swing

Finally got organised and got out on a run. If I'm gonna try an ultra before I'm 50 (doesn't have to be a 70 miler cos anything above marathon, is an ultra ) I need to be showing some dedication!

Went to Macc for work and thought to make a loop taking in Car and Fiddle. Realised it's too far away so needed to find some closer hills. So made a 6 miler loop, but then chicked that in the bin and just looped back on myself.

4.6 miles later and back at the car. (The pain of) running scares me but I think I managed to keep a slow enough pace. Didn't manage much trails but at least there were some pitch black sections to help the fear-gremlins!

Only 108ft of elevation though, which for Macclesfield is a bit rubbish. Must try harder.


Some directions.


Some muddy paths.


Some dog lover stuff.


A few horses but didn't use the flash to ensure they don't get slightly 'miffed'.


And finally away from the pitch black lanes with me being very very underlighted!

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 21, 2024 5:14 pm Went out for the first run since Halloween at lunchtime - only 5k on pavement at a sedate pace but it felt good to be out even if it was drizzling. My plan was to just get used to running multiple times a week for a couple of weeks and then start building up the distance again

I’m on the same journey. Running 3 days a week short distances to get back in the swing

I was listening to the Jason Fitzgerald podcast on the way to work (whoch probably helped. Strength Running and he had a lady on who's Olympic champ material and does 123 miles per week. They mentioned, 'baby steps'... So, crawl, hobble, walk... etc. Hence why I only aimed for a 5 miler.

Progressive something they called it and my plan is to hopefully get used to 5 milers and slowly up the distance. Will be trying different pacing things mid-run. Happy that I'm not the only one that trying to get back into it (stipped prematurely last time as I probably did too much too soon!).

6.8 miles/600ft today. Bought myself a £5 marathon plan in Training Peaks app and sticling to it loosely. Yeaterdays missed but today I managed the 5 miles and then some (to get home at fast walk/very slow run pace).

Took it as steady as I could in a zone2 heart rate. Tried best to do the robocop type foot-placings (forefoot contact first) to save the spine a little. Last 1 mile or less with shoes off to get a proper hang of footwork/barefoot. Lets see how goes it with the 'baby steps'.

Dropped off on this thread...

Usual few weeks of intermittent orienteering races and training. But still in recovery mode after my ankle injury. Managing to get back up to 50km weeks now, which is nice as the weather is finally perking up!

4.3 miles. 960ft of up. Lots of fast walking (couldn't actually run/sprint the hill which was/is the plan) and plenty of huffing/puffing. Mt Eildon North past the Scottish Borders. Locals call it a hillock but I found it steep enough.

Happy to see the summit.. Some pics here https://strava.app.link/PqpQFQsMvHb

To and from work as is normal for a Tuesady and Thursday. Unexpected snow and ice this morning, but also a stunning purple sunrise!

Total of 18km, lots of up, lots of mud, usual offroad not on road.

In piccies...


Enroute back from my sisters in Edinburgh, I needed to find a spot for a bob of training. This looked good but wasn't much trails down there. So I drove my car just short of running out of petrol.


Right down the A1, but for ethical (maybe in my head) I went straight to Jet down in Washington. Between Sunderland and Newcastle. Lady at the counter informed me that there's toilets at the health centre. Instead I spied an open door of a disabled loo inside Vets4U.

Obviously after coming out I didn't wanna look cheeky and opportunistic. So bought the tic picker.


Next, instead of reaching Cleveland Way, I stopped at Durham services and made another route. It was muddy and the parking charges (free for 2 hours) meant it could spur me to move fast(ish).


Squelch. Squelch.


Careful down to the stream bridge below as I didn't wanna slip in the mud.


A narrow path and steep drop to the side. But grip was still acceptable.


Somewhere here I heard some shuffling. Then a deer ran straight past me and round back into the treea to the left. Then I heard a gun-shot. Must be one of the deers being hunted!! Though there was no obvious shooting grounds on OS maps, there was highly sophisticated eletric fence when I got through the woods. Tursdale Woods!


Everything was squelchy and I was on an official footpath. So, aside from the slip-risk, I wasn't too concerned with the gun shot. Unless off course it was Nigel Farage and his mates, stalking the 'the others'!


By this point I was about 3.5 miles in. The mud had almost left but I was only about 40 mins away from that 2 hours of free parking. Must make some speed.


Could see Greggs a bit later. So the car was close. Ran as fast as I dared and made it back to the service station with 4 mins to spare.

1H37 (total time) to complete 4.5 miles of mainly squelch. 1h5mins of moving time as I needed to make ablution and prayers in the woods. Definitely very very far off any sort of decent trail marathon time!

Hopefully I'll get faster but main thing is to avoid injury. So, baby steps continued.

Only managed a whopping 7.8km last week due to not being able to get out at the weekend so going to try Monday-Wednesday-Friday this week. The good news is that after todays 5k my legs don’t feel like they’ve been pummelled by a bag full of apples unlike every other run in the last 3 weeks

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:53 pm my legs don’t feel like they’ve been pummelled by a bag full of apples unlike every other run in the last 3 weeks

I thought this was always par for the course, regardless of form?

Big week culminating with a weekend in the Dales teaching navigation and gettin battered by the weather on Saturday. Unsurprisingly, now sick. Either way, another 70km and 2,400m vert in the bag for the week, which was nice.