Fitness update

I hope everyone had a a good Christmas.  At the last check no extra weight had been added  so  a promising start to the new year.

It was good to set off with the grown ups on the Saturday before Christmas even if the common route did not last long. T'Y caught me just after the bowling club and apart from one or two glimpses of the others as I  looked back I was once more on my own.

The objective of 20 miles was achieved at a marginally  faster pace than the previous week with almost 75 per cent run, an accumulation 14.41 miles made up of 65 short runs interspersed with short walks. Total time out was 4 hrs 55 mins.

Further progress was made during an outing around Hove and Brighton in  the company of son and daughter where five miles plus included four well spaced runs of  a  mile each. Slowly the running is building up (emphasis on slowly) and  rejoining the main squad on Saturday mornings is beginning to seem a lot nearer.

Urban Outings

It’s not all been muckin’ about on t’moors as you can see!

Salford Quays

Bolton Street Musicians

Generally no time for messing about with pics but had a play at processing this image – results on blog, see what you think.

Lostock AC - Haggis Run

Feeling up to running today!   So a couple of snaps of the outing here.

Haggis and Whisky enjoyed at Two Lads

Christmas Week

Pics from the week on Out and About – wonderful week, although not a lot of miles covered!

Christmas Day Berries

On the way to the Sales on Boxing Day

Belmont Res - On the way to the Strawberry Duck

Holcombe Tower

Above Entwistle Res

Stunning sunset on the walk back to Belmont

Sheep silhouettes

Ended the year on a splutter!

Sorry I did not make the UTUP today I've been down with a cold all over Christmas which has turned into the usual chest infection, so I am now banging back steroids like smarties!  I did turn up at the barn today about 11:30 but no one was there to wish a happy new year for 2013.  The bacon butty and cappuccino were still good though.  So my Christmas holiday plan of 5 events just fizzled out.

I was hoping to do the Disorientation event at Tintwistle tomorrow but common sense is prevailing so I will jog around Haigh Hall park doing the POC post check instead!  I am hoping to be well enough to do the SROC New Year cracker Urban event at Lancaster University on Tuesday if anyone wants to join me.

So I will now take this opportunity to wish all of you bog trotting, hill pounding, badinaging lovely people a happy, healthy, prosperous and good running New Year.  If I don't do it now I will forget.

See you all soon and have a great New Year.

Kev

Last UTUP of 2012

I'm planning to be at the UTUP on Saturday 29th Dec, followed, quite likely, by a slightly early finish prior to refreshments in the Bottom Barn at, say, 11:20.

Saturday morning UTUP

The weather may have deteriorated as the morning continued but it was still a good workout for Ed, JtE, TF, Kev an mi-sen. My late start meant that I was able to catch YJ on a slightly different route heading towards Healey Nab. Somehow I'd got ahead of the rest but we managed join forces heading towards Charnock Back Lane. After Healey Nab I managed to quash any ideas of heading up Great Hill and Spittlers - an easy thing to do as no-one had the faintest intention of heading that way in such inclement weather. My suggestion of the Bomber Memorial was accepted but the climb up past Manor House Farm against the driving rain meant that Ed, JtE and TF took the road descent whilst Kev followed me towards the memorial, navigating past some drivers who looked old enough to know better than playing with their 4WD toys on the farm tracks. Or at least I thought he was following me, but reaching the style by the memorial, he had disappeared. I waited a moment then descended by the "uphill" path but still no sign. A couple more minutes at the bottom but still no sign so I continued, slightly concerned if he had come a cropper out of earshot. Further avoidance of the 4WDs and a lady walking her dog assured me that Kev had indeed gone past. Approaching Dean Wood House I could see Kev and caught him up just before Rivington where we ran together to finally catch the remaining 60% running into the Lower Barn. By this time we were all somewhat wet so we ventured into the Barn to drip on the floor and enjoy a Christmas drink. Up to 9.5 miles in the two hours.

Catching Up!

Busy, busy week – so no time to blog, although been keeping the blips up to date. Enjoying the wind down to the big day, although with two of the three nephews working on the 25th, our main Christmas celebrations will take place on Boxing Day when the bird will get roasted.

Good to see some of you on Tuesday night – glad the rain kept off our mince pies and sorry to dash away Friday, but Ian had a very early get up for (literally) a run round Helvellyn.   Difficult conditions and I hear not too good over Healey Nab, look forward to a posting.

Given the conditions I chose a local run with a delayed start – weather was so bad I didn’t take a camera – shock horror!  Sunday was a much better day so with Ian in slow mode, we headed out together – a few pics here and below.  All that remains is to wish everyone the very best for a Merry Christmas

Morning sunshine

More wintry in the afternoon

Local Run

Catching up on last Saturday’s outing with a few more here.

Seasons Greetings

The Lord of Brentford and his good Lady would like to wish all their friends in the NW a very happy and holy Christmas.

Last Night

Thanks again NLN and SN for arranging this outing and providing the mince pies and coffee. A good night for a trot up to the mast and great to see the Kirkhams out again. In all a very enjoyable evening.

I mentioned to some the prospect of a very bright comet next year. Details can be seen on www. nightskyhunter.com/Comets%20Visible%20Tonight!.html

Solstice Do 21st Dec

There has been some belated interest in a "do" so I have booked a few places at the Black Horse at Limbrick, on the evening of Friday 21st December.

But first, don't forget to gather near the Bobs Smithy at 6:30 on Tuesday 18th December for a run up to the trig point and back, followed by goodies outside and booze inside.

There will be two routes, either Chorley Old Road, Georges Lane, Mast Road, or, for the more foolish, Walker Fold Road, Matchmoor Road, Burnt Edge, Mast Road - bring your headtorch. Guess which I'll be doing.

Solstice?

As I've not been out much on a Saturday morning, I've not been able to find out where we have plumped as the the solstice eventing. I heard mention of the Black Horse at Limbrick. Are we going for Friday 21st or Saturday 22nd on the assumption that they are not already booked up - they weren't last year! (at least not on the Saturday). For future possibilities can I throw into the hat : Andiamo at Daisy Hill, Viva Espana (Horwich), The Rivington (formerly Ridgeway - not tried it myself but sure I have heard good reports). And Nick's have taken over Chequers in Westhoughton.

Foggy down below but glorious sunshine on WH

I used my day off to head up over Winter Hill for a half day walk and took my camera with me. Minus 3°C at 10 o'clock when I sett off from Wilderswood so I was expecting it to be colder on the summit. It may have been but the glorious sunshine warmed me up. Here are a few piccies of the inversion etc.

Heading up towards the mast

Inversion out towards Chorley from Blue Lagoon slope of Winter Hill

Telecoms mast from above creating shadow

Frosted trees from Georges Lane

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/could-12-old-next-usain-bolt-115009890.html

Tuesday 18th Social

Sounds good to me.

Do you mind if I try to form a splinter group, going out via Matchmoor Lane and Burnt Edge and rendezvousing at the trig point, before all running down together?

The Matchmoor group (me?) could even pick up the Matchmoor trig on the way, or is that getting a bit silly?

A Date for your Diary

In the absence of any other solstice celebrations SN and I cordially invite you all to join us on our Tuesday run next week that’s the 18th December.  We’ve delayed our start time to 6.30pm in the hope that more folk will be able to partake.   Meet in the vicinity of Bob’s Smithy with the plan of keeping to the tarmac surfaces to get to the trigpoint on Winter Hill.  The route is about six miles – or as far as you feel you wish to.  Having timed the route we should be back at the cars around 8 o’clock if you just want a social meet!   Bad weather options available.  We will have mince pies and hot coffee back at the cars and hopefully adjourn to the pub before departing. 

Hope you can make it!   Well what else would you be doing on a Tuesday night.

PS – Don’t know what’s happened to my blips EtU – still showing up on my blog

Sunrise – Moor Field Trigpoint

Decided to get to the trigpoint for sunrise this morning – what a show!  More here if it’s of interest.

Waiting

Here it is ! 

The view

The other way – Westhoughton

The stile into the field

This Week

Planning UTUP Thurs 13th and Sat 15th.

What, No Blip!

NLN, have you taken your blips away?

Longridge (Christmas Pudding) 7 Sunday 9th Dec

The bad news is that this was another PW:-

http://www.ukresults.net/2012/longridge7.html

(Son-in-law Jorge placed 120th in about 61 minutes)

The good news is that there was no recurrence of the worrying breathlessness that visited me at the Kirbymoor Fell race race two weeks ago - so I'm just unfit, rather than closer to death's door than I had recently thought.

The conditions were blustery but apart from that, generally fine and bright and a good time (!) was had by nearly all.

No show from Matt due to injury, see his post dated 7th Dec, and no show from SN, just an 'Oops!' text as I ate a rather mediocre post-race lunch at the New Drop, an over-large 'pub' just after the three mile point on the race route.

PS:- the puddings were Morrisons 'cheapest available' - but as they say, the proof of the pudding...

Sun and Ice

On this morning’s local run  -  a few more here 

Iced bath  -  Winter hill in the distance

Wintry sunshine

 

Icy reflections

In need of refurbishment

Railway bridge

Icy pond

Mono silhouette

Really Wild Boar Fell Race Sat 8th Dec (8k/427m)

I thought I'd take the car out for its first play in the snow. Looking promising on the way to the Hamlet of Street (about half way between Sedbergh and Kirkby Stephen)

(The Howgills on the way to Sedbergh)

 

 As I turned off the main road and headed along the single track lane to the Race HQ, came face to face with another car. Neither of us wishing to reverse the whole way up, so only one option, mine had to get off the road as it was the 4x4. So with a little intrepidation I reversed up a little way and picked a spot to venture off onto the snow covered grass, being guided by some previous tyre tracks.

 

Once back on the track, the feeling of exhilaration and relief that I now had a car that wouldn't get stranded at a fell race car park came over me in a nice warm wave! Should point out that I'd gone prepared just in case, with sleeping bag, stove, food etc for an overnight stay, weather men might have got Saturday's forecast wrong. Parking the car turned out to be 'easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy', less true for the car next to me who needed a push.

 

The race was an absolute belter. A good track to start (snow covered to smooth out the rocky bits), then onto the fell with a steep climb and knee deep snow. The fast'uns had made a series of steps for me, which was nice! Two checkpoints on the summit, by heck it were parky up there. Then a fantastic descent back down to the track.

 

Slipped into the finish in about 1:21, with 5 behind me. For my first full winter condition fell race, it was £4 well spent. Awesome.

 

 

(Car Parking)

TF

Keeping in touch

 

As I’ve not been out for a while I’m just keeping in touch by posting to say well done to everyone for their various escapades. TF for her time in the ToP,  EtU, TF, and TYC for the Kirbymoor Fell Race(wanted to join you), JtE for continuing to keep up with everyone, YJ for his continued fight back against his injury, NLN for her photography and T’yorkshireman for having the good sense to move to Lancashire. If your team don’t get 3 points on Saturday T’y, they’re going nowhere(no ware).

Through heavy lifting I’ve incurred a back injury, no doubt aggravated through running when I first did it, which is taking longer to mend than I thought. Sorry I’ll be missing our Longridge Christmas pudding race on Sunday EtU, it’s one I really enjoy, at the finish, that is.

Back to stretching to back. Mirrored Palindrome?

What good weather you’ve had to be out on the moors.

Saturday 29th December

I wasn't looking for anything too time consuming, but wondered if anyone had any ideas for something a little bit festive to mark this mid-holiday UTUP? It wouldn't need to involve food or booze.

Or possibly a diferent venue (UTDP?), which could involve booze and/or food.

Or UTUP followed by (laced) hot choccy in the barn - this would have the advantage of laced hot choccy catering for anyone who turned up on spec.

Thoughts?

This Week

UTUPing tonight 6th Dec and Saturday 8th.

Saturday’s Run–Rivington Pike, Two Lads, Winter Hill, Noon Hill

Few more from Saturday here.

Tree tops catching the sun – from the avenue up to the Top Barn

Sun on the lagoon on way to Pike

TYC ?

Bit of a blur, but Pike illuminated by the sunshine

TYC descending Pike in strong sunshine

Sunshine and shadows on Winter Hill

On the way up to Burnt Edge

 

Looking across to the windfarm from Winter Hill summit

Not out this Saturday – have fun  : )