70at70 blog

My blog relating to the 70at70-ish Pennine Way run on May 28th is now up and running although it no doubt requires a little refinement and a few photographs, which can hopefully be sorted out. At the moment its content is limited but I hope to have weekly updates on how training is going and an introduction to members of the support team. To this end it would help if supporters could email me a potted running biography and picture for inclusion.

Any matters relating to support on the day will probably be best dealt with on this blog. Meanwhile I would appreciate any help in publicising my blog address http://70at70forheroes.blogspot.com and the site where donations can be made www.bmycharity.com/70at70tohelpHeroes as widely as possible.

Howarth Hobble

As preparation for the Pennine Way run the Howarth Hobble/Wuthering Hike fell race produced more questions than it answered. Teamed with TF the plan was to have a nice easy day out that hopefully would produce a time slightly better than last year when the other half of the team was NLN.

The team of two had already been expanded to three by prior consent with the inclusion of NLN and as the event progressed the group swelled to five with the addition of Paul M and Geraldine W and briefly to six when we caught T'Y.

The early pace was edging ahead of 2010 and by 20 miles we were 4 minutes in front in spite of taking the climb out of Calderdale at walking pace. A pattern was emerging where TF and I were taking our pace from the other three, myself losing ground on the descents and making up the loss on the next climb. By Hardcastle Crags (25miles) the gap between last year and this had opened to 11 minutes and by the finish to 27 minutes largely due to a 12 minute improvement over the last three miles.

The question is whether the conservation of energy on the slower walk on the climb from Hardcastle Crags was responsible for the faster descent to Howarth or whether there was more energy in the first place. The answer is probably a combination of the two and a similar strategy on May 28th may well be the outcome.

To finish strongly certainly makes for a more enjoyable event and I shall definitely avoid destroying myself on the climbs when the big day comes.

To my Hobble partner congratulations on her first Ultra event. She never flagged and looked good enough for a second lap at the finish. She would have had an impressive time without me holding her back.

Stats for the event were 31.87 miles; total time 7.12.49; average pace 13.35; total climb 5,637 ft.