Swimfit Week 2

I've been adopted! Emma, our new coach, sees me as a challenge. I told her that I had attended coaching sessions over many years, but no-one had made any progress with me. She will take me on as a project and get my legs driving me forward, rather than backward, as they do at present.

Spent most of the evening with a float thrashing about with my legs.  Legs haven't been this weary since I last got round Wasdale circa 2001.

For those interested in such trivia, "Swimfit" is an anagram of "I'm Swift" - wow!

This Week

Thursday 27th UTUP

Friday 28th Cherry Tree 7:30 ish - all welcome

Saturday 29th UTUP

Two More Pictures

 

Clouds after harvest.

 

Notice over the bar at The Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge high on the moors. This pub, I think known by EtU, is an established overnight refuge used by people doing the Coast to Coast. Julia Bradbury stayed there in the TV series about the walk.

Rucksack Club FR – Saturday 22nd September 2012

It’s hard to believe sitting writing this, with what seems like incessant rain since forever, that the weather in the Lakes last weekend was stunning.  Well a picture never lies, so here’s the truth of the matter with a bit of a write up in the usual place.

A frosty morning at High Moss with Harter fell in glorious sunshine

Caw Fell

and after the frost had melted

Duddon Fells

Duddon Estuary

Keith with the estuary beyond

Taking a bearing to the next control

Sunshine on the tarn

Seathwaite Church

The "Do"

The Cherry Tree (previously The Thatch & Thistle) seems to be slightly more popular than our summer venue, so we're back on the A6.

See you there on the 28th?

A Few Holiday Pictures.

Just been to North York Moors area again. I have to give it to T’Y that parts of Yorkshire are very attractive, but excluding Huddersfield of course.

The village of Runswick across Runswick Bay.

 

Big skies and far horizons……..

….and again.

.

Health and Safety gone mad.

Gannets nesting on narrow ledges on the cliffs at Bempton. They are the largest sea bird with a wing span of 172cm. (5’ 9”). Enlarge the picture to see them properly.

Evening Star. The last steam locomotive to be built by British Rail. Entered service in 1960 and withdrawn in 1965.

Sunset at “our cottage”

Saturday 22nd September Part 2

Picking up from where t'Y left off :- TF headed for home from the Pike, saving her energy for organising and possibly running in a Salford Harriers relay squad later in the day.

Then it was Two Lads where we saw CW and t'Y head for home.

That just left Matt, TYC and me to head past the mast to the top of the ramp to do a "Down and Up the Ramp" pursuit. Being chief handicapper, I gave myself a one minute start over Matt, which he had reeled in by the time we hit the gate at the bottom. I then managed to make a small inroad into his lead on the climb. Matt's times (down then up) were 8:05 + 15:17 -> 23:22 and Mine were 9:05 +15:04 -> 24:09.

TYC was over-ambitious and gave us both an over generous start that proved too much to recover.  He did, however post the excellent times of 5:12 + 12:44 -> 17:56 ~ well done that man!  Reference to my records from 1999 - 2001 indicate that the record is held by Kev Gaskell, with 4:58 + 8:12 -> 13:10. Kev also holds the Coope's Doz record.

 As we regrouped back on top, were joined by a most personable young lady (Debbie?) who enquired about the local geography. Matt and I sent TYC off to show her Smithills Res, and we haven't seen him since, although he has since reported that she professed to being a police officer ~ mind how you go!

A grand morning out!

Nearly forgot, TYC lost his hat; if you find it, hand it in at the nearest police station.

A glorious afternoon's walk

With the weather being so fine after the morning run, we decided to drive to Settle in the Dales, having found a dog-friendly walk which gave some opportunity to the let the dogs run free in areas enclosed and sheep free. Only about six miles for three hours but with glorious views as can be seen.

Cameron and Zeus enjoying the outdoors with Pen-y-Ghent in the background

Views over the Ribble Valley

Warrendale Knotts

A bright crisp September morn

I must have been the only one with a camera so here's a shot of the group chatting on the Pike about 9am this morning. As I only did a short run, EtU will no doubt complete the story of the complete run.

Swimfit ~ Week 1

With the aim of developing my freestyle (or just 'free' as we cognoscenti say) I attended the first of the current Swimfit sessions at the Horwich leisure centre last night.

A bit concerned to see a few guys sporting Ironman tattoos plus Ray McGloin (TIM), then the first announcement was "We'll warm up with 15 minutes 'free' - whoops!  A bit out of my depth!

I'll keep you informed of (any) progress.

Downhill

Sorry Ed but I'm afraid you'll have to take the prize as I've promised to tutor a young Threadgold this Thursday. In the absence of a report, last Saturday's UTUP was a leisurely 5 miler with TF (to the PIke via WH race route) then just LKM and I to Two Lads heading to Wilderswood where we came across YJ so continued back along Georges Lane after having a natter.

Ian Hodgson Relay

Powers that be are trying to drag me into the Ian Hodgson Relay on Sunday. I hope they can find someone better as my descending is becoming even more embarrassing. A new pair of decent fell shoes would help but as it takes at least 2 weeks to get to a stage where Inov8's are wearable without blistering, that's not going to happen.

Any takers?

A gentle walk

Last Sunday I joined an LDWA 14 mile walk aimed at attracting new members. However, I decided not to use the bus to get back from the finish at Frederick's Ice Cream Parlour but extended the walk to return home. Having walked up to the start at the Blundell, the 14 became 23 with the last 10 in increasingly torrential rain. A good workout though with the route over Winter Hill, Spittlers and Great Hill meaning that the Garmin says I also managed 5385ft of ascent including little used footpaths on the way back climbing up through Chorley Golf Club and thence to Rivington.

No crock of gold

Walking to the station has its benefits - here's one for Matt and other Wanderers supporters, showing man-made and natural curves on my way home this evening. Sorry Ray, but I don't think there's a crock of gold there.

This Week

On Thursday 20th September it's the RMI annual classic downhill race; will t'Y be participating and take the stigma of being the club's worst descender off me?

http://www.horwichrmiharriers.co.uk/downhill-race-5

UTUPing on Saturday 22nd.

Three Shires Fell Race - Sat 15th September 2012

What a day, perfect weather for runners and stravaigers -  bit more detail on Out and About if it’s of interest :~)

Lovely stroll from the car park at the quarries to the race start at Three Shires Inn

Mark enjoying the sunshine

Catching up – FSS and EtU

Any more details EtU?

They’re off!

At Three Shires Inn

Ghyll scrambling up through the Juniper on to Lingmoor Fell

Hidey Hole

Little Langdale and its Tarn

Little Langdale

The Ling (heather) of Lingmoor

Climbing out of the gully to the race route with a runner on the skyline

Possibly First Lady beginning the final descent and picking a line that almost everyone else missed

Disused quarries

 

Stang End

Quarries at the car park

Not out Saturday – any news from last Saturday’s UTUP?  Did any Manx friends arrive?

Not out this Sat another Lakes weekend yay!

Autumnal Equinox Gathering

I am arranging the quarterly "do" for Friday 28th September, one week later than its title suggests. Probably the Thatch & Thistle (more recently the Cherry Tree) if they can fit us in.

This Week

UTUP Thursday 13th.

Three Shires on Saturday. Travelling up alone, so seats available for anyone racing or just mooching about.

As KLM has indicated a briefish appearance on Saturday morning is planned before having to return home and await the windscreen bloke. Picked up a stone chip driving back from a week in Cornwall and although attempt was made by the guy sent via the insurance company to repair, the proceedure had to be abandoned as it was starting to crack more (a known risk, that I had to sign a disclaimer for).

Hope it's not raining as hard as it is at the moment.

Results from Sunday's run can be found here. www.darkandwhite.co.uk/results-cross-country-fell-races.asp If I get a chance this week I'll try and post a copy of the map so you can see where we went. My route started off remarkedly similar to a well known race route until contouring to a control at a stream junction below Long Rigg, route out was a climb up to The Calf, good practice for that last climb on TofP.

Rab Mini Mountain Marathon - Howgills 9 September 2012

Quite why it is called a mini mountain marathon is beyond me.  It is in fact an orienteering score event that just happens to be in some very lumpy countryside where competitors have to collect as many points in a given time limit.  In this case the time limit is 4 hours with penalties for being late.  This event started and finished in Sedbergh with 22 controls spread across the fells to the west, south and east of The Calf.  This type of competition is my favorite as it is orienteering at it's purest.  There is no right or wrong route and you are constantly planning and revising your route depending on the conditions and capability.
TF made an appearance and put in a strong run up the west side of the map to pick up controls on her way to the highest scoring control in that area before returning catching a few more on the way down.  I took a more circular route around the middle of the map and struggled with the climbing and contouring bringing a modest score for the day.
With very few paths on route the day took its toll on my feet leaving me with quite deep blisters on the balls of my feet, mainly from the contouring.  Although the hills in that area look quite benign the route choices we had to take took in some very steep climbs and descents.  So much so that I had no stability left in my knees for the final descent resulting in me having to slide down the hill giving me dreadful grass burns in a most sensitive area.
It was the first time I have been on those fells and actually enjoyed a view and what a view from The Calf - but no camera - sorry.
It was good to see TF out and back to her chirpy self.  I have it on good authority that we will be blessed with her presence on the Saturday UTUP.  Should make for a fine outing.

Winter Hill is not the only Trig!

… and the location is !

A Scottish Weekend 31st Aug–2nd Sept

Up North for the Ben Race – Ian obviously.  Write up here.  A plethora of pics despite the appalling weather which forced me to spend most of the race afternoon in the Ben Nevis Inn – a shocking state of affairs ;~)

Just out the front door of Craigallan – Loch Linnhe

This was the good weather in the morning

 

Surprising what the tide brings in!

Bokeh

 

 

Lochaber Pipe band lead the runners

Kit Check

Down by the river

Back at Craigallan

Travelling home – Loch Lomond

Duck Bay, Lock Lomond