"Celebrating the Paralympics"

It's a great part of my job that I get to meet elite athletes both Olympian and Paralympian and part of the post games celebrating this has given me the opportunity to meet  up with some of them and welcome them back to their home towns. Pictured is paralympian Niki Burrell from High Legh who won a bronze in the skud sailing

"Back Over The Country"

It's only a week since the last track action of the season (and yes I won the vet's category in the club's track championship!), but today saw the first cross country fixture of the season at Knight's Grange in Winsford. Run over a challenging but fast six mile course the going wasn't too bad considering that it has been the wettest month for years. The main issue was that due to race clashes I was the only senior man to run! Great to have maximum points in the club champs but very difficult to maintain focus when your usual rivals aren't around you. Having said that I had a very good run and maintained a reasonable pace over the four laps. I would love to know the time but my watch gave up in midweek and hasn't been replaced yet!

Update - Finishing time was 54.02 and I was 160th out of 211.

Week 39. Weekly mileage 27. Annual mileage 953. Sessions 186. Races 36.

"Stockport Magic Mile"

 Without much specific training over the last few weeks I turned up at Woodbank Park in  Stockport for the Marathon Talk "Magic Mile". Organised as part of the Moday evening Stockport Harriers track session this turned out to be a really great night. I had aimed for sub six (last year 5.58) and joined the sub seven minute mile race but soon found myself in no man's land with the five minute runners burning away and the slower ones dropping behind me. I still managed a 6.04 which I am still really happy with and after only a minute's recovery we set off again with the over seven minute milers and U/11s group for their mile. it was great to run with the younger ones and you could really feel their sense of achievement having gone "through the bell" they really all made a great effort on the last lap. A big thanks must go to the local club for making everyone feel so welcome and I'm sure it will be repaeated next year.

 Week 37. Weekly mileage 23. Annual mileage 901. Sessions 175. Races 34.

"Nine Acre Field"

Bright sun welcolmed my first run of the Gawsworth 10k. A well organised and friendly off road event, for once I decided not to race but to just enjoy the great Cheshire countryside and not bother as my usual rivals went flying past at the start! I finished in around 48 minutes feeling fresh as a daisy and ready for the Magic Mile the day after. Oh and yes we also got a medal, my first for a long time!

"Park Eirias - Colwyn Bay"

The last track and field meet of the season saw a trip to the fantastic stadium at Eirias in North Wales. Recently upgraded it was a great way to end the summer, running a 3k, 1500m and to round it off the anchor leg of the 4x100m!

"Last Days of Summer"

It may have been the wettest summer on record, but last night I took the chance for one of those late summer evening mid week runs thinking that it may be the last one before the seasons change. Through Bollington and up Kerridge Ridge to White Nancy with the setting sun illuminating Rainow Village. Magic!

"Rufford Abbey"

It's often those runs that you start off not knowing where you are going in a place you haven't visited before that turn out to be the ones you really remember. That happened this week during a family stay in Sherwood Forest where an early morning run through a country park led straight into the courtyard of what turned out to be Rufford Abbey a13th century monastry. After that first run the remainder of the holiday was made up of sessions in and through the woods which were fantastic!