"End of Summer"

The last few weeks have been a real mixture of good and bad. There have been some excellent sessions including, runs in Whinfell Forest in the Lakes, hill reps in Macclesfield Forest and some quicker interval work of 15x1 min / 1min recovery and a 25 minute threshold run in preparation for the upcoming northern Road relays. On the downside, whilst my local track has reopened after refurbishment, the return of my calf niggle has kept me away and each day has been one of stretching and waiting for the first tweaks of pain! Luckily there have been no missed races as the wait for the cross country season in a few weeks continues.

Yesterday however restored my faith, heading out for a ninety minute run over Kerridge I was treated to a fabulous sunset as I dropped across the ridge back down towards home. Fantastic! White Nancy at the end of the ridge is pictured to the left of the photo.

Annual mileage 887 (week 36). Races 20

"Trentabank"

With the track still being refurbished the Tuesday night speed session located to the hills of Macclesfield Forest. On a glorious summer evening four of us regulars (lots of others still on holiday) ran 3 undulating laps of the lower slopes of Trentabank (six minutes duration) interspersed with continuos hill reps of 3 x 90 seconds with a 90 second jog recovery but still going uphill! It is the first time for a while that neither legs, breathing or vision seemed to be anything that I could control. I also got bitten on arms and legs and today is a very itchy one!

"Malta"

A week of not much warm weather training! With temperatures in the low 30's runs needed to be completed well before the sun got up. Gentle undulating promenards were just the ticket for the sore ribs after the fall at Tegg's Nose.

Annual mileage 794 (week 32)

"Magic Mile"

Two days after the Teggs race and before I go off on holiday I still had to run the Marathon Talk Magic Mile that I had entered. I was hoping to use the track but it is out of commission being refurbished, so I measured out a mile around the lanes of Bollington. Aching all over, in high wind and on undulating roads I managed to crank out a 5.58.51 Not bad all things considered!

"Teggs Nose Fell Race"

Second race of the week but the first time back in fourteen years at the Macclesfield Sheepdog Trials for the annual nip up and down Teggs Nose.

With 1700 ft of climb over seven and a half miles this was always going to be tough and so it turned out. The race is broadly two climbs and two descents that are both severe in different ways. I was going well for the first five miles and was on the home run when a twisting descent of The Hollins ( a path I must have run over a hundred times) found me diving forward and surfing the ground at close quarters! Everything hurt, both my calfs went into spasm and my right shoulder felt like it had been shot! A couple of runners slowed up to get me on my feet again and I hobbled in in 83.47! Two days later and it still hurts to cough or breath heavily. I hope the ribs are only bruised.

Weekly mileage 22. Annual mileage 779. Races 20.

"Pie and Peas 5"

The first of two races this week and a new race for me. The Pie and Peas 5 is both a Cheshire Grand Prix Race and part of the Harrier's Club Champs, it is just a pity I ran as if I had eaten the pie before the race rather than after as I ran to a personal worst 37.10 for a five miler!

Humid 26c conditions on an undulating multi terrain course didn't help but even so it was a pretty poor show. Starting towards the back of a 300 runner field I had to work too hard in the first two miles to get a decent position although in the end I did manage a top half finish and earn a few points for my troubles.

"The Forest 5 and some"

Back to mid week racing again and the annual Harriers promoted Forest 5 miler which is acknowledged as being more like six miles including some wicked initially climbing and descending. It was also a three way interclub competition between Macclesfield, Congleton Harriers and Wilmslow Running Club.

The race evening was humid and there was much reliance on the latest wonder potion to keep midges away, Avon Soft Milk! All smelling nice the race started with the usual twenty minute (for me anyway) climb up through the forest where I lost any number of places due to my current lack of stamina. However running off the top dropping to Forest Chapel and the climb across to Shutlingsloe I held my own and over the last couple of miles of descent lost no more places, in fact overtaking four runners in the last 150 minutes with a burst of speed that Sue the coach at the track would be proud of! Results haven't appeared yet but my time of 47.38 reflects how tough it was .

Weekly mileage 25.

Annual mileage (week 30) 757.

Races 17