'A' RACE WINDOW GETTING SMALLER
PODIUM 5K
A couple of weeks of running were back in the legs when Up & Running were trading at the Podium 5K once again, so duty bound I stuck a vest on and gave it a go. I felt a bit of pressure for this one, having ranted to all and sundry about sub-18 minute runners glorifying themselves in the 'B' race than further challenging themselves in the 'A' race, here I was wondering if I should make the opposite adjustment to avoid doing the 'A' race a disservice. I was right to be worried. I found this one tough going. Physically because I just didn't have the endurance or speed in the bank and mentally because I was the definitive backmarker. If the 18 minute mark is indeed a window to some kind of moral qualification to run the Podium 'A' race, then I clambered some wobbly stepladders and forced entry through a tiny gap head first. 17:52 was too close for comfort and my regressively slowest of three Podium's this year. It wasn't pretty at all. In the end it seemed ungentlemanly conduct to pip the young Keighley lass Zara Knappy on the finishing straight, but a race is a race and her presence gave me something to hang on to on that last lap.
I've spouted plenty of negativity on these pages since deciding to engage in these running ramblings, but I do actually try and look for positives. On reflection, I can still latch on to a positive from last night's Podium... 42 years old and still able to blag a sub-18.
Friday 29th July 2016
PODIUM 5k Barrowford, Lancs.
1st Man: Jack Morris (Stockport) 14:45
1st Lady: Alison Lavender (Oswestry Olympians) 16:55
My stats - 17:52 27th/28
Saturday, 30 July 2016
Sunday, 17 July 2016
COMPLETELY CYST OFF!
Post-Witton Trail Relays and a concerted effort to get one's arse back in to gear. Strictly off-road when absolutely possible, hills, hills and more hills. I also got to take out my new training partner for the first time, Connie the dog. She loves the hills. The mileage has been a bit patchy in recent times with the old Achilles tendon still stifling real progress, another biting hamstring and general aches, pains, stiffness and slow recovery to remind me that a bit more care and precaution is necessary as I tumble past the first quarter of my forties. But the running was starting to come together again until the untimely appearance of a Baker's cyst which resides behind my right knee. First popping out in to prominence when swimming around the age of ten, the breaststroke kick was the culprit and ever since, this innocuous little sack occasionally fills itself with fluid after a hard workout and pokes out of the back of my leg like the top of a hard ball. It's not painful, just a little uncomfortable, feeling restrictive and stiffening the area behind the knee. Over the years I have got to know my Baker's cyst well, like a grumpy old friend whose buttons you have to be careful not to press too hard. Generally it deflates within a day or two after any aggravation. I am normally fine to go out for steady runs until it pops back in to hiding. But on this occasion it wouldn't go away. Even a super-steady couple of miles only served to irritate it further. I tried the bike instead, which turned out to be even worse. After fifty minutes of cycling I couldn't even straighten my leg afterwards. Concerned at this, I proceeded to do a bit more research which basically consisted of reading horror stories about ruptured cysts. I didn't want to risk a rupture!
It was time to have one of those little conversations with myself. I couldn't run, I couldn't ride. It was time for a break. In the end it was the best part of a fortnight of training disruption before the cyst subsided. Hardly a catastrophe, but yet more nuisance value to temporarily derail the ultimate goal of getting back in to some sort of form to race.
Post-Witton Trail Relays and a concerted effort to get one's arse back in to gear. Strictly off-road when absolutely possible, hills, hills and more hills. I also got to take out my new training partner for the first time, Connie the dog. She loves the hills. The mileage has been a bit patchy in recent times with the old Achilles tendon still stifling real progress, another biting hamstring and general aches, pains, stiffness and slow recovery to remind me that a bit more care and precaution is necessary as I tumble past the first quarter of my forties. But the running was starting to come together again until the untimely appearance of a Baker's cyst which resides behind my right knee. First popping out in to prominence when swimming around the age of ten, the breaststroke kick was the culprit and ever since, this innocuous little sack occasionally fills itself with fluid after a hard workout and pokes out of the back of my leg like the top of a hard ball. It's not painful, just a little uncomfortable, feeling restrictive and stiffening the area behind the knee. Over the years I have got to know my Baker's cyst well, like a grumpy old friend whose buttons you have to be careful not to press too hard. Generally it deflates within a day or two after any aggravation. I am normally fine to go out for steady runs until it pops back in to hiding. But on this occasion it wouldn't go away. Even a super-steady couple of miles only served to irritate it further. I tried the bike instead, which turned out to be even worse. After fifty minutes of cycling I couldn't even straighten my leg afterwards. Concerned at this, I proceeded to do a bit more research which basically consisted of reading horror stories about ruptured cysts. I didn't want to risk a rupture!
It was time to have one of those little conversations with myself. I couldn't run, I couldn't ride. It was time for a break. In the end it was the best part of a fortnight of training disruption before the cyst subsided. Hardly a catastrophe, but yet more nuisance value to temporarily derail the ultimate goal of getting back in to some sort of form to race.
Saturday, 2 July 2016
UP AND RUNNING AGAIN
WITTON TRAIL RELAYS
So Tebay didn't happen on the Wednesday. I talked myself out of that race, feeling I lacked even the ability to just get around the course and enjoy it. There was no race in me, that's for sure. It was disappointing to feel so jiggered when I really wanted to go. But I also had to consider a
commitment the following evening as a member of the Up & Running line-up at the Witton Trail Relays. This consisted of a three-legged 2.4ish mile per leg affair with roughly a mile of ascent to the top of Billinge Woods and the downhill fruits of your labour for the return back to Witton Park. Organised by Richard Taylor and English Hill Runners, this is a brilliant event with a cracking little course and great atmosphere. Garry Wilkinson had brought together a men's veteran team and ladies team. The not long a runner, but already a legend, Bryan Searby got our men's team off on the first leg, former top end fell runner Wilkinson followed and then it was the humble I for the third and final leg. Our ladies team kicked off with esteemed local distance runner Sarah Ridehalgh returning to the scene from an injury lay-off, Jeanette Armitage from local club Running 4CF and then only Britain's best at duathlon, World Champion for her age group and fourth overall at the 2016 World Championships... that would be Emma Taylor. She's not bad at Ironman either. All in all a spectacularly diverse line-up in the Up & Running squad! The conditions were excellent for running, if not spectating. Cool but by no means cold, light rain and ground that could take a stud. The girls took a splendid 3rd place in the ladies standings, whilst us boys were 6th in the veterans department.
When I rolled up for this race I was yawning incessantly. I tried trotting over to the start, but couldn't be bothered so I walked. It wasn't boding well for a decent run! Once I'd taken in a bit of the atmosphere and had a few natters, I thought I'd best make the effort. With plenty of time until I grabbed the baton, I warmed up by tottering around the course in reverse and managed to wake myself up a bit and loosen those stiff, lazy legs. Cometh the third leg then and after a conservative first half a mile I began to get a decent shift on up the woods and really enjoyed putting a bit of welly in to the descent back to the finish.
Thu. 30th June 2016
WITTON TRAIL RELAYS 2.3m/492ft Witton Park, Blackburn
Fastest Men's Leg - Chris Holdsworth (Clayton) 14:38 Fastest Ladies Leg - Sarah Tipler (Barlick) 17:10
Men's Team Winners - Bunny Relay Champs (Barlick) 44:37 Ladies Team Winners - Barlick Ladies 'A' 56:13
My Stats - (Leg 3) 17:10 Team Stats - (Up & Running Vets) 56:42 33/110
WITTON TRAIL RELAYS
So Tebay didn't happen on the Wednesday. I talked myself out of that race, feeling I lacked even the ability to just get around the course and enjoy it. There was no race in me, that's for sure. It was disappointing to feel so jiggered when I really wanted to go. But I also had to consider a
commitment the following evening as a member of the Up & Running line-up at the Witton Trail Relays. This consisted of a three-legged 2.4ish mile per leg affair with roughly a mile of ascent to the top of Billinge Woods and the downhill fruits of your labour for the return back to Witton Park. Organised by Richard Taylor and English Hill Runners, this is a brilliant event with a cracking little course and great atmosphere. Garry Wilkinson had brought together a men's veteran team and ladies team. The not long a runner, but already a legend, Bryan Searby got our men's team off on the first leg, former top end fell runner Wilkinson followed and then it was the humble I for the third and final leg. Our ladies team kicked off with esteemed local distance runner Sarah Ridehalgh returning to the scene from an injury lay-off, Jeanette Armitage from local club Running 4CF and then only Britain's best at duathlon, World Champion for her age group and fourth overall at the 2016 World Championships... that would be Emma Taylor. She's not bad at Ironman either. All in all a spectacularly diverse line-up in the Up & Running squad! The conditions were excellent for running, if not spectating. Cool but by no means cold, light rain and ground that could take a stud. The girls took a splendid 3rd place in the ladies standings, whilst us boys were 6th in the veterans department.
When I rolled up for this race I was yawning incessantly. I tried trotting over to the start, but couldn't be bothered so I walked. It wasn't boding well for a decent run! Once I'd taken in a bit of the atmosphere and had a few natters, I thought I'd best make the effort. With plenty of time until I grabbed the baton, I warmed up by tottering around the course in reverse and managed to wake myself up a bit and loosen those stiff, lazy legs. Cometh the third leg then and after a conservative first half a mile I began to get a decent shift on up the woods and really enjoyed putting a bit of welly in to the descent back to the finish.
Thu. 30th June 2016
WITTON TRAIL RELAYS 2.3m/492ft Witton Park, Blackburn
Fastest Men's Leg - Chris Holdsworth (Clayton) 14:38 Fastest Ladies Leg - Sarah Tipler (Barlick) 17:10
Men's Team Winners - Bunny Relay Champs (Barlick) 44:37 Ladies Team Winners - Barlick Ladies 'A' 56:13
My Stats - (Leg 3) 17:10 Team Stats - (Up & Running Vets) 56:42 33/110
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