"Good to Soft - The Northern Cross Country Championships, Pontefract"

After the National XC Champs, which I can't run this season, the Northern's are the BIG ONE for all cross country runners. This year we took a trip to Pontefract Racecourse and on a bright, sunny mid winter day had a really good outing. Run inside the race track itself the course was meant to be 12k but according to everyone's Garmin's ran out at 8.1 miles! I had a great run on a testing but fast course with far less mud than you expect on a championship course at this time of year and ran a 61.50.

See all the action at
http://www.athleticos.org/coverage/247856-2012-Northern-England-XC-Championships/video/587559-Northern-XC-2012-Senior-Men
The pace of the race leaders is incredibly quick!

The week's training including a brutal track session on tuesday which include 8 x 1k off a ninety second recovery! This was one to "survive" and ended up as my best session for a long time. let's hope the hard work translates into some quicker spring racing.

Weekly mileage 30. Annual mileage 130 (week 4). Weekly sessions 5. Annual sessions 24. Races 4.

"Hanley Parkrun"

Tough but enjoyable 5k on a new course, followed by a mug of tea and oatcake, perfect! So ended another great week of running at the Hanley parkrun. On a wet and very blustery day I managed a fourth place in 22.02 and I'm sure will be going much quicker as the weather improves and the courses get flatter, such as the track!

The key session that is allowing for this improvement is the regular track work which this week included 3 x 2k with two minutes recovery. The remaining four sessions included both recovery and tempo.

Weekly mileage 31. Annual mileage 100. Weekly sessions 6. Annual sessions 19. Races 3

"Woodbank Park XC"

Great weather, my sixth session of the week thanks to Jantastic and my best cross country run of the season all in one!

With temperatures dropping and with a cloudless sunny day I have had a fantastic race over the super hilly Woodbank Park course beating three club mates who I would normally be behind into the bargain. A three lap six miler this race has everything, a fast flat start, maniac descent and gruelling "switchback" climbing in super slippy mud meaning there is no time to recover. I finished in 45.32 and felt great!

Some of this is definitely down to a combination of consistent running and some great track sessions which this week included 6 x 88 with a 400 jog recovery at a steady 3.13/10/11/14/10/06.

Weekly mileage 31. Annual mileage 69 (week 2). Sessions 6. Races 2.

"County Cross Country Champs - Knights Grange"

A great start to the year, with five sessions, one race and 34 miles for the week.

The county cross country returned to where we have run already this season but conditions were very very different to last October. Seven and a half miles of mud, climbs and driving gusting wind made for a really tough but satisfying day. Time 59.35.

The other success was the completion of six sessions (target five) for Jantastic. It's going to be a busy week at work but I am determined to complete the five sessions including round four of the Manchester League at Woodbank Park.

Weekly mileage 34. Annual mileage 38. Sessions 6. Races 1.

"First Day Of Jantastic"

To get myself fitter for the championship end of the cross country season and on into the Spring I have entered the Marathon Talk podcast's "Jantastic" commiting to running at least 5 sessions a week during January challenged by six "rivals" from around the world. Today's first run was the muddiest I have ever known down on Riverside Park, having to wash off before I was allowed back in the house after a five miler in glorious sunshine. Only four more to go for the week!

"Looking Back To 2011 (Part Two) The Racing Calendar"

January
2 - Manchester XC 4 - Woodbank Park - 48.32
8 – Cheshire Champs @ Warrington 57.59
29 - Northern XC Champs – Sunderland 61.39

February
6 - Alsager 5 – 34.20. 6.52 miling but 70 seconds off 2010
19 - National XC – Alton Towers

March
27 - Wilmslow Half Marathon – 1.33.03 (1.35.49 in 2010). 41.25 for the first 10k

April
2 – Track Open meet 100m 14.9 & 14.7
10 – Air Products 10k 42.59

June
25 – Lymm 5k 22.17
26 – Cheshire T&F 3k 12.48

July
3 – Northern T&F 5k 22.26
6 – Offerton 10k 48.47
10 – Bollington Nostalgia Race 68.03
14 – Wizard 5 39.26. 58 seconds slower than 2010
27 – Forest 5 47.38

August
3 – Pie & Peas 5 37.10
6 - Teggs Nose FR 83.47 (7.5 m / 1700 ft)
8 – Magic Mile – 5.58.51

October
8 - North Staffs XC (1) - Knights Grange - 50.51 (49.11 in 2010)
16 - Sandbach 10k – 45.30 (44.23 in 2010)
22 – Manchester XC (1)Heaton Park 49.42
29 – North Staffs XC (2) Park Hall 50.48

November
13 – Manchester xc (2) Sherdley Park
18 - North Staffs XC (3) - Stafford Common 47.11
26 - Cheddleton Pudding Race 10k - 47.00 (45.15 in 2010 & 44.26 in 2009)

December
4 - Manchester XC (3) – Wythenshawe Park 47.50
10 - North Staffs XC (4) Westwood Leek 49.20
24 – Bramhall Parkrun 5k 22.44
26 - Club Boxing Day Handicap - 28.59 target 28.28. (28.13 in 2010 & 28.04 in 2009)

Total races 31.

"Looking Back To 2011 (Part One) Running Targets"

2011 was going to be a year of qualitative and quantitative targets. Those measured by the clock and those either measured by the experience or their contribution to it, so how did it go?

1. A sub 2.30 800m clocking for the first time in many years

I didn’t actually get to race an 800m all season due to the calf injury in April.which saw me out of running action for nearly two months.

2. A sub 1.35 half marathon (sub 1.33 target)

A great run at Wilmslow saw me achieve my best time for a few years with a 1.33.03 and a fast first 10k of 41.25 thrown in

3. To get back to racing some of the Staffs Moorlands Summer Series

Nope!

4. A "run first" policy where work and meetings are concerned (this one WILL be interesting!)

Yes but only a few occasions and certainly not enough.

5. To stretch and warm down after training and racing

Obviously not enough given the calf injury but since then there have been more stair raisers whilst at work!

6. A more structured week of up to five sessions (minimum four) including speed/hills/long/cross train/easy

Only limited on this one with a real lack of speedwork and hills.

7. More miles & more races - including a better time at the Shutlinsloe Fell Race after 30 years of racing it!

Averaged 25 miles a week for a total of 1302, which whilst being 20 less than 2010 was good considering that a couple of months were lost through the early/mid summer. Also 31 races to 35 (2010) was also really encouraging considering most of the summer track and fell races were missed, including Shutlingsloe

8. To compete in the county championships at cross country , fell and track and field.

Only one out of three for this, cross country, due to injury.

9. To get out on a few more club runs

Nope! But I did the full club Road Championship and came first V50.

10 .To enjoy my running!!

Finally YES!

Overall a year of missed targets and some frustration, but I finished it with a flurry of races including a couple of new ones such as Parkrun at Bramhall. I also made a return to those I hadn’t raced for many years such as the Tegg’s Nose Sheepdog Trial Race and got a reminder of why it had been such a long lay off! The photo shows the track running off the side of teggs at the far end of the out and back loop.

Time now to think about 2012!