The Northern XC Championships Pontefract Racecourse"

For once not a photo of me but of the leaders in the Northern XC at Pontefract including Olympic Triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee who lapped me just a the start of my final lap! It was a tough and fairly muddy seven miles run in 63.30.

Week 4. Weekly mileage 22. Annual mileage 88. Sessions 18. Races 4.

"Lambs Longer Leg"

After an overnight snow fall actually getting to this race up in Hayfield was a challenge! What greeted us though was a perfectly clear, sunny and windless day. Although this race is only 3.5 miles it includes a ascent of nearly 1,000 feet so in the snow and ice was still a tough challenge. I finished well down the field in 44.58 but was extremely happy on what had turned out to be a glorious day.

Week 3. Weekly mileage 19. Annual mileage 66. Sessions 14. Races 3.

"Harriers Winter Track Relay"

A cold frost covered track but with bags of sunshine welcomed runners to the Harriers annual track relay. In nine teams of five we spent an hour racing 400m laps to see who could go furthest. The winning team, for once with me in it (!), achieved 38. A great event bringing different sections of the club and runners of different abilities together.

"Howling Heaton Park"

After suffering a chesty cold for the preceding week I definitely wasn't looking forward to returning to Heaton Park for the next round of the Manchester XC league. Adding to the trepidation was gale force bitingly cold winds meaning this was going to be even more tough than usual! Despite not being fully fit I was still happy to get round the six miles in a reasonable 53.21 even managing a solid uphill finish on the run in.

Week 2. Weekly mileage 24. Annual mileage 47. sessions 9. Races 1.

"Jantastic 2015"

Yes it's that time again when I kick start my training by setting weekly and monthly goals. This time for January I have been more realistic than normal and set a target of four runs a week. having set up a Macclesfield Harriers team with thirty six runners there is going to be plenty of interest over the next few months.

"Year's End"

I was rather looking forward to finishing the year off with a race  on New Year's Eve around Lyme Park and the Bowstones, but a rather heavy head cold (the first and last of the year) put a stop to that idea! It did give me the chance however to reflect on this year's running targets listed below and only a few of which I have achieved.

 Return to regular track sessions (no)

Cross train (no)

V50 3,000m record currently 11.55.8 (no)

Set V55 track records (yes...hurrah!)
Finish a 3000m steeplechase (no)

Learn to map read! (yes)

Target  - 50 races (45)
Target - 1350 miles (1175)

 Having said that I have been really happy to have a fairly injury (and illness!) free year, which is actually far more important than having and achieving targets. i ran some new races, particularly over the fells and even managed to run faster in a couple of races than in previous years. So for next year the aim is to just keep running, racing and enjoying it!

"CAFOD Fun Run"

On a gloriously sunny but icy morning it was great to get out for this annual fun run along the canal and Middlewood Way in Bollington. As a charity event enthusiasm is always much in evidence and being low key is so much more fun than the commercial large scale ones.

With heavy legs after yesterday's handicap and running the longer 4.5 mile course I was more than happy with a time of 33.50, and to have not have slipped and injured myself on the ice!