"Rain, Run, Mud and Sherdley Park"

The last two week have probably been my best running ones for months but coincided with the worst rain and high winds of the year. Despite this I have managed to run eleven out of the last fourteen days and put more than thirty quality miles into both weeks. My first track session for a couple of weeks was also my best one for months inc 1 x 2 mile and 4 x 1 mile all run at sub 6.30 pace!

Last Sunday saw the second round of the Greater Manchester XC League at Sherdley Park in St Helens which is notorious for mud at the best of times so a week of constant rain turned it into an absolute quagmire! Despite this I ran really well and again beat my closest rival Jack from Salford Mets.

This week was rounded off today by a great five miler along the Shropshire Union Canal in Nantwich where my daughter was competing in a trampoline competition (no I didn't miss her perform!). It was yet another run discovering the new area I am working in now I have moved office base away from Macclesfield and these sessions have added a new zest to my running as they force me to really concentrate on not getting lost!

Annual mileage 1131

"Storming Langley"

I have just got back from an hour on the bike to stretch out my legs from what was performance wise my best race by far this year; the Langley 7 Road Race. Organised by my club Macclesfield Harriers (with me as usual on the race registration desk) it's advertised as a scenic, hilly and tough race around the roads of Langley, Sutton and Macclesfield Forest. I have helped organise this race on the day for many years at both the start and finish but this year decided I would run straight from registering athletes to the start line and have a run out myself!

With a fast start I was on 13.23 for the first two miles but shortly after this the race climbs over 600 feet in under a mile and a half going straight up the feared "Wythenshawe Lane". I held it together (and retained my breakfast which was more than a few managed near the top!) saving enough for the rapid three miles to the finish where I was pushing six minute miling to finish in 50.32 which is pretty close to my best ever time on this course. The other plus was that I took 30 seconds out of my colleague who took the final place in the club's national xc relay squad instead of me so honours are now even!

The prize as always for this race was a bottle of local beer (pictured) brewed by the Storm Brewing Company of Macclesfield as a special edition just for the race. It was then back to the local church hall for well deserved tea and home made sponge cake!

Annual mileage - 1074

"Dovedale Dash"

One of my "running intensions" (see blog back in January) was to run some different races than I would normally enter, so today I ran the famous "Dovedale Dash" for the very first time. It's an event I have meant to enter for years but never got round to for one reason or another. The race is famous for its opening downhill "charge" into the valley of Dovedale (pictured)quickly followed by running straight through the River Dove. Now in its 54th year the race although only 5 miles is by reputation a real tough one at the best of times, but today the rain lashed down accompanied by gail force winds to make it even more of a challenge!

Starting by a small registration tent (£4 & no forms to fill in!) on the top of the hill the start was manic with over 1100 runners charging , sliding and falling down the first hill. The river ran up to the thighs and was freezing. I started far too conservatively but steadily picked runners off over the next couple of miles of climbs, descents and mud, but my final climb back up to the finish was pretty awful as the previous day's 10 miles in the hills finally caught up with me! I finished 222nd in 40.27 which isn't very good but there wasn't much more I could have put in and it was certainly something different. I will be back!

All in all a fantastic end to a great week of running with 34 miles in the bank which has included everything, speed on the track, hills and lots of mud!

Annual mileage 1054