Sun and clear skies but blustery & bitterly cold at Astbury Mere this morning but I am pleased with a 5k of 21.47 which is a good marker for the spring season. I can only get quicker!
Week 14 & end of Jantastic (97%). Weekly mileage 25. Annual mileage 381. Sessions 70. Races 8.
It is the last few days of March and today I was hoping to run my favourite forest run from Teggs Nose and make the most of the reasonable weather after a week of sub freezing temperatures. However I wasn't prepared for some of the worst drifting of snow that I have ever seen whilst up in the hills. At times i was running over hard compacted snow above the level of the dry stone walls! Hopefully the photos tell the story.
It's the night before the Wilmslow Half Marathon and although there is
snow and driving winds outside (removing three ridge tiles on the roof)
it looks as if I am going to have to turn up tomorrow and have a go for a
1.37.00 that I have set myself as a target. The excuses start here!
"Sunday 5.15am – the race is definitely on!"
Forget the clear skies and daffodils as I started probably my worst race for years! The first five miles were fine, averaging seven twenty miles but from then on in the cross winds & sub zero temperatures my enthusiasm just dropped to zero and I ended up running a 1.45.25. Definitely one race to forget asap, unfortunately the pink finisher's technical T will be a constant reminder for some time to come!
Another week when the weather can't decide if it is spring or deepest winter. After a mixed week of training including another 10 plus mile run, in between watching Sarah at the UKCA Cheerleading Championships at theVelodrome I took the chance to have an easy run through the nearby Clayton Vale. Although this was for 140 years a dumping ground for the industrial revolution of Manchester it is now a landscaped local nature reserve and on a warm spring like day a great place to get out into.
ps. Sarah has qualified through to the European Championships in Italy in the summer!
Back to run the Biddulph Valley Way and enjoy the views rather than racing it as part of the Cloud 9 race. On a calm, warm evening it felt like spring was at last here. however by the end of the week with sub zero temperatures it feels as if winter is definitely back again!
Another great week of running including a return to the tough nine mile race up Bosley cloud. For once the weather was perfect and the views after the 1100 feet of climbing were breathtaking.... or was that the running! Despite a disappointing time of 85.27 I was still only half way down the field. The photos are at mile two, the top of the cloud and on the final mile run in along the Biddulph Valley Way.
