"Spring Track Open Meet"

For the second week in succession the sun shined on the first real challenge of the spring, the club's (Macclesfield Harriers & AC) annual track & field "Open Meet". Although we have had one league track event already this is seen as the first real chance for athletes to sharpen open for the summer season ahead. Attracting clubs from all over the north west of England it promised to be a great afternoon of sport.

The afternoon was also special because Sarah my daughter was also competing (and cheering me on even when I was getting lapped!). I ran the 3k in a season's best time whilst she won the Under 11 girl's javelin event in a pb 14.32m. following that with a pb of 2.08.09 in the 600m. A local photographer was on hand to capture our performances!

Another excellent week of running including track session (5x 1k, 1 min recovery + 4 x 22m, 1 min recovery) & some general hill running.

Weekly mileage @ 25 miles. Annual mileage 426

"Back On Track"

It's a warm and sunny early spring afternoon. it's the opening day of the much awaited track and field season. For once the two come together and the opening Cheshire League track and field meet at Woodbank Park in Stockport leaves athletes digging out their sunscreen along with their spikes on a glorious afternoon with an opportunity to really start the season in fine style.

The men's team manager started the season as he means to go on and i was "encouraged " to run the 3000m, the 800m and with my arm up my back the opening leg of the 4x100m relay!! They were run in that order with increasing tiredness as the afternoon progressed being matched with the increased speed required for each successive event! I led the club's charge in the 3k (not saying a lot!) but had to take second fiddle to the younger "senior " men who are only 17 years old (I am 49) in the 800m but opened the relay by holding my own against the swift sprinters of Trafford AC, one of the top clubs in the country. All in all a great start to the season.

Mileage for the year to date 401

"Shutlingsloe"

Despite yet another week that conspired against running (work, family, cold & chest infection)the week was rounded off with a fantastic run up through Macclesfield Forest & on to Shutlingsloe, the highest point in Cheshire. After a few days battling a cold and dropping out of the weekly track session as the pace picked up (must have been ill!) a few recovery runs prepared me for a 6.30am start on my most favourite run of all.

Starting in Langley it's a steady climb up through the forest until you appear out onto open moorland with a fantastic climb up to Shutlinsloe. The day was perfect with the sun coming up and the forest and moor all to myself. A steady climb is rewarded with fantastic views of the Cheshire Plain to one side and the rolling hills of the Peak District on the other. After all the climbing (and the wonderful views) its a rapid descent back into Langley and breakfast! Catch a short video of the run I shot http://www.runcast.tv/video/my-time-to-run-video-1

Next week it's back on the flat as the track and field season finally commences.

"Spring"

Another varied week with running time being in direct competition with starting a new job! Despite this I got in around 25 miles which can contribute to the "Running From The Reaper" team in the buckeye podcast challenge!.

My efforts did get some reward however at the annual Macclesfield Harriers awards evening, where for the 2008 season I took third place in the club's senior men's track and field championships, winning the vets series and also finishing third in the vets for cross country!

Finally, I did get one great longer run in the hills this week (pictured) which really made it feel that Spring has finally arrived & will help when the Swift Half in the Peak District in May comes round. Before that the track and field season opens in just over a weeks time so its time to get to the track and get some reps in!

"Wilmslow Half Marathon"

After a break of ten years and following a good run at the Stafford Half two weeks ago I was glad that I had once again entered this top class, fast, flat and very local (5 miles away!) race. This year hosting the English Half Marathon Championships and with the race limit of 4000 reached before Christmas, the day turned out to be sunny, cloud free and around 10 degrees centigrade with a slight breeze, the perfect running day.

As I am not fit enough to race hard over this distance I started out steadily (with the aim of remaining below 7.30 as an average) I cruised the first few miles at around 7.08 pace. The lack of distance work told around 10 miles (on one of the course's few climbs around the "Victory Hall" in Mobberley, pictured above) but I kept everything under control and was determined to just "enjoy" the event as a run, coming in at 1.36.46. I crossed the line with the former three time Olympian & Commonwealth Games 800m champion Diane Modahl and was glad she hadn't decided to use that world class pace (even after all these years)to race the last quarter mile!

The time was 12 minutes quicker than Stafford but 10 minutes off a PB!! But it was a great Sunday morning run all the same with a fantastic t-shirt!

I may even be tempted to "race" the "Swift Half Marathon" in the Peak District in May!

"Broken Toe!"

After a great run on Sunday I definitely came down to earth with a bump on Monday morning, or to be more precise down the stairs at home, slipping from top to bottom! The only thing hurt apart from my pride, was that as I fell my little toe caught the stair banister and went in the opposite direction to the rest of me! I'm still not sure if it is broken, dislocated or badly bruised. Medical advice is the same whatever, ice, anti-inflammatories and strapping to the toe next door!

After a couple of days of rest the toe felt much better and I went on a couple of easy runs which I know isn't what the doctor ordered or very sensible either, but a week on and although the injured area is still very swollen and bruised running isn't causing a problem so I may have an easy run out at the Wilmslow Half Marathon next weekend.

The highlight run of the week was on Saturday afternoon where I went out for an hour along the Ashton Canal which runs through the heart of Manchester. leaving my son Matt at the North West Pole Vault squad training at Sportcity, home of the 2002 Commonwealth games, I ran down into the centre of Manchester taking in over 200 years of industrial heritage that saw Manchester become the first city of the Industrial Revolution. Built in 1796 the canal was key to the successful rise of "Cottonopolis" and making Britain the world's leading economy. Several hundred years on the decline in the area is slowly being reversed as old factories are being converted to flats and although i know the city very well from my student days, it was great to keep popping up from the canal at bridges to realise that you were at the heart of what is still today a major international city.

Assuming the toe keeps recovering it is my intention to run the half at the weekend before the start of the track and field season kicks in in a couple of weeks time.

"The Stafford Half"

It's 9.00am on a warm and sunny early spring morning as I sit in a McDonalds just outside of Stafford. An athlete walks in, clearly a runner, and makes his way over to the counter to order a coffee. The voice is unmistakeable, I would have heard it now 101 times (if I had listened to all the podcasts), its Nigel from "Running from the Reaper". We had arranged to meet up for a quick chat prior to him entering his local half marathon on his road to London next month.

After a quick chat about all things running he kindly guides me through the early Sunday traffic to find a parking spot near to the race start and thirty minutes later we are off in the Stafford Half Marathon. Four thousand runners have towed the start line in what are now becoming very warm and unseasonal conditions. The early miles were hit at an almost metronomic eight minute pace (photos are at five miles, I am 218 and Nigel 71) through miles six to nine the rolling road was more challenging and for me as a none road runner these days with my last half being ten years ago I was going into unchartered territory. However the last few miles were along a disused railway and then by the local river. The last mile Nigel really picked up the pace ending with a fantastic last quarter mile turn of speed. The clock stopped at 1.48.31. Not Nigel's quickest by a long way but he was comfortable enough to take confidence away from today as he ramps up the training for London.

For me it was a great day of running and has given me the confidence to attack the Wilmslow Half in two weeks. At the end we had time for a quick chat, put on our hard earned t-shirts for a photograph then it was off. I have run many races over the years but this will certainly be one to remember.

To see how Nigel felt about the run go to http://runningfromthereaper.blogspot.com/ or better still visit itunes and subscribe to his brilliant podcast.