Guess which one's broken

I'm not joking.

A strange trail followed me home from work this evening

Woohoo! I got to run in the white stuff again tonight. Wet white stuff, but white stuff nonetheless (at least it washed off yesterday's mud from the 'footwear'). The snow had returned with a vengeance all afternoon so it was forced to stick whether it wanted to or not. The cars were reduced to a crawl again and I found myself feeling a little smug as I crossed the road with unaccustomed ease to my deserted commuting track.

That's Lyth 23mi. 31/01/2010.

I set off from home at 05:30 on Sunday morning and I was soon caught in a snow storm. All lanes of the M61 were covered. However I had faith. The forecast had predicted snow showers to the south of the region. I was surprised one had strayed so far north. It couldn't last, and sure enough it didn't. By the time I reached the M6 any signs of snow quickly vanished.

I arrived at the 1st Kendal Scout Hut 1.5 hours later to typical That's Lyth conditions – cool, calm and dry, with a sunny day in prospect. In fact it turned out a little colder than usual because it remained frozen throughout apart from where the sun got to the ground towards the end.

It was the usual sell-out. At £4 a pop and with that scenery it's hardly surprising. The hut was heaving before the final slow exodus to the road outside for the start. After some inaudible murmurings from an official standing on the wall, we were off along the riverside before veering off to the left and uphill to exit Kendal and climb into the countryside.

This was my 7th time running this event. Although I had the route description in my hand I never once needed to refer to it. I just followed my nose along the route and let my memory be jogged as I went along. The runners in front of me also knew where they were going, for the most part.

In contrast to last week's Hebden and its frequent checkpoints, there are only 3 checkpoints on this event – at Crosthwaite Memorial Hall (7 miles), Witherslack Parish Hall (14 miles) and Cotes Corner (18 miles).

The first section undulates across a golf course, fields and lanes. The second section becomes more interesting and involves a climb up to Whitbarrow summit memorial cairn, from where the 360 degree views are spectacular. I never pause for long enough to take them in because I'm always in a hurry and eking the last vestige of speed out of my body with its somewhat deficient cardiovascular system. This time was no different. In fact I was amazed at the pace I was sustaining considering my recent lack of fitness. A week seemed to have made a surprising difference.

The third section involves the boring slog across the wide, flat Lyth Valley towards Levens. The idea is to keep something in reserve to be able to run this and get it over with. There was once a time when I couldn't do it but now I am able to just sustain a shuffle all the way across. While I was doing this I was slowly overtaken by one of the several dogs on the event and his master. When the pooch was adjacent to me he suddenly turned around and laid flat in the gutter. I looked round and realised he had heard a car approaching from behind. It was far away and moving slowly and I hadn't heard it. He remained motionless until the car was passing, then he was off in hot pursuit (from the safe end of the car) and catching up with his master in the process. Whether it's training or herding instinct I don't know, but it's impressive and amusing. (I'm sure I saw the same dog do the same thing last year as well.)

The fourth section after George's garage gets interesting again. The climb up Scout Scar in the winter sunshine with such clarity to the views was spectacular. The snow covered mountains way over to our left across the valley stood out clearly. I really should have taken a series of portraits through ~180 degrees to stitch together into a panorama, but I didn't have time. I was still pushing for that best possible time. I'm too darned competitive with myself.

I was running with Geoff H by now. We had both slowed considerably but I was still keeping the shuffle going, even on the uphills. It was 0.1 miles per hour faster than walking, so it was. We soon arrived at the cairn (I'm sure that pile of stones has seriously grown over the past year) and the right turn up and over the ridge before the final descent, across the ancient disused race course to the road. A left turn and more downhill road brought us back into Kendal and the finish. It was easy downhill and we should have run much faster but we had no more to give. Our early fast pace had drained us too much. Our final time of 4:03 was within a minute or two of my time of last year and 14 minutes outside my PB of the year before. Not bad considering last week's poor effort. I wasn't drained by my efforts this time either. Finally I felt fulfilled.

The winning time of 2:55 (apparently) was achieved by an alien from another planet with unimaginable superhuman ability. It's all in the genes, you know.

The volunteers and marshals did their usual amazing job. Lots of post-event conversing and catching-up was had over soup, rolls, doughnuts, cake and tea. I left my portion of rice pudding and tinned fruit to some other lucky person. The organisers really could increase their entry fee. I don't think anyone would utter a word of complaint. £4 is embarrassing.

I will be back in 2011, God willing. The measly eight pictures I took are here.

Postscript – VFF update.
The following two days (Monday and Tuesday) I have run to work in the fivefingers without any issues. My feet and ankles feel pleasantly exercised without being traumatised. I have adopted a different running style that doesn't trash my calf muscles. Instead of always forefoot landing, I land just on my heels but virtually flat, with bent knees and taught abdomen to cushion each footfall as much as possible. I only use forefoot landing occasionally when necessary. The limbs like it. My run home in the rain and dark this evening without torch, through the mud and puddles along the stony track, demanded ultra delicate foot placement. It worked like a dream. My precious fivefingers received their first serious soiling.

In honour of the Vibram fivefingers, my blog picture is changed for a while. They appear still clean and nestling in pristine powder.

The Hebden 21mi. 23/01/2010.

The Hebden is traditionally held on the first weekend of the year. In 2010 it was delayed by 3 weeks to avoid clashes with other events, yet it was still the first event of the year for most of us thanks to the exceptional snowfall this winter that resulted in most events having to be postponed. Only a week beforehand, the long route was impassable in many places. Organiser Alan Greenwood, a great stickler for detail, kept us well informed with status reports on his website up to the last minute. The snowdrifts only just cleared in time to allow the full event to take place with the exception of one small section after checkpoint 5, where gates remained half buried and the farmer did not want hundreds of walkers climbing over them (quite understandable really). That required a short cut along New Road, which shortened the route possibly by half a mile. No-one complained; we were too happy just to be out in the hills again.

And so it was, at 8am in Mytholmroyd, 350+ keen runners and walkers were led informally from the Community Centre round to the church for a safe rolling start of the short AND the long routes. I had chosen the long route of 21 miles (including diversion). That might not sound very long for a 'long route' but when it's in Calderdale with its sharp ups and downs and copious mud, 21 miles is quite demanding enough.

The long route meandered in & out and up & down the vales, moors and cloughs via checkpoints at Old Town, Slack, Eastwood, Broad Head Clough, New Road and Little Scout Farm. It never really ventured that far from Mytholmroyd but you would never have guessed, such were the frequent and dramatic changes in scenery. The weather was kind to us so we could appreciate the scenery in all its glory, and the paths were clear thanks to the volunteers' efforts. Yes, they do take their secateurs and garden shears with them on their route-proving reconnoitres. More than that, they take their courtesy notifications to post through residents' doors whose properties the route passes through. Public footpaths in Calderdale go up people's drives and across their front gardens and make you feel guilty as though you are trespassing on private property. Perhaps it's one reason for the high incidence of navigational errors in Calderdale. People don't want to trespass. The difficult parts on rarely-used footpaths where there is no obvious path to follow were marked with red tape, which was useful otherwise there may still be people wandering out there. The Hebden route is certainly quirky in places!

We enjoyed the usual welcome and support from the many willing and cheerful marshals, helpers and Raynet volunteers. And the food, oh the food. I reacquainted myself with Carole's heavenly chocolate cake at checkpoint 1. The dripping sandwiches and stollen at checkpoint 3 in the woodwork shop are always noteworthy and something to look forward to. The tuna sandwich at checkpoint 5 kept me going for the final 4 miles or so to the finish. There was more but I don't wish to come across as gluttonous.

The meal menu at the finish was naturally full and plentiful. It even commenced with an aperitif of mulled wine in its very own heated urn. WOW!

With such a spectacular route and such good organisation, no wonder this event fills to capacity. It has built something of a reputation among the runners as well as the walkers (it's all over the running forums for months leading up to the day). The reputation is well deserved. Many thanks to Alan, Carole and all the helpers. All your immense efforts are recognised and really appreciated. Bring on 2011!

Considering the shortened route, my time of 4:30 ranks as a Personal Worst in the 4 years of this event's existence. Upon my return, Race Organiser Alan Greenwood greeted me with: "Nick, what have you been doing?" Only dragging my sorry bottom around his event as fast as it would go and draining most of the life out of myself in the process. The extended layoff has done nothing for my fitness. All I wanted to do was lie down and go to sleep afterwards, but the post-event meal revived me for the drive home. May my completion of The Hebden be the start of my return to former fitness, Amen.

All the pictures I took are here.

2010 plans go awry.

Oh dear. My best made plans for 2010 seem to be falling apart around my ears.

1. In the first year when we foreigners have to use this entry route, I fail to get picked in the Western States Endurance Run lottery. I won’t be jetting off to Northern California in June for the first time in five years.

2. Winter weather has resulted in the postponement of my first two events this year so far and disruption to others.

3. The Devon 100, which I was due to be plodding in April, has been cancelled.

4. Business travel commitments that are emerging from the woodwork at this very moment are threatening more events.

5. And now for the most unexpected blow of all: I learned yesterday that my application for the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc has been refused. WHAT? There must be some mistake. I have more than enough points to qualify me. Perhaps I ticked a wrong box and the ‘computer said no’. I emailed the organisation for an explanation. Apparently there was a draw and our group was not picked. That’s some difference compared to last year when they opened entries again because they were under-subscribed. Ultra Running popularity has gone stratospheric.
Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. I’m told I can transfer my registration to “Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie”, or TDS for short. It is ~105km with 6.7km of altitude change compared with ~166km with 9.4km of altitude change for UTMB. So, a mere walk in the park then ;-) With this shortened event I might just have some energy left to run my favourite Bullock Smithy Hike the weekend after, but something tells me that will be most unlikely.
There is another possibility as well on the same weekend – Le Grand Raid des Pyrenees. It's another 100-mile mountain race that has been described as being even tougher than the UTMB.
Decisions, decisions.

So, the tattered remains of my schedule so far for 2010 look something like this:
Sat 09 Jan - The Tandem - 28mi. (postponed to 20 Feb)
Sun 17 Jan - Two Crosses Circuit - 25mi. (postponed to 21 Mar – can’t do)
Sat 23 Jan - The Hebden - 22mi.
Sun 31 Jan - That’s Lyth - 23mi.
Sat 06 Feb - Rombald Stride - 23mi.
Sat 13 Feb - Anglezarke Amble - 24mi.
Sat 20 Feb - The Tandem (rescheduled) - 28mi.
Sun 21 Feb - Beacon Bash - 21mi. (can’t do this now)
Sat 27 Feb - Myrtle Meander - 24mi. (can’t do due to business travel)
Sat 06 Mar - Troller’s Trot - 24mi.
Sat 13 Mar - Wuthering Hike - 32mi.
Sat 20 Mar - Hardmoors 55 - 55mi.
Sat 27 Mar - (rest)
Sat 03 Apr - Manx Mountain Marathon - 32mi.
Sat 10 Apr - Calderdale Hike - 36mi.
Sat 17 Apr - (any suggestions?)
Sat 24 Apr - (Devon 100 cancelled – alternative suggestions?)
Sat 01 May - (any suggestions?)
Sat 08 May - The Fellsman - 61mi.
Sat 15 May - Marlborough Downs Challenge - 33mi.
Sat 22 May - (rest)
Sat 29 May - Heart Of Scotland 100 - 100mi.
Sat 05 Jun - (rest)
Sat 12 Jun - Swaledale Marathon - 23mi.
Sat 19 Jun - (any suggestions?)
Sat 26 Jun - (WS100 denied – alternative suggestions?)
Sat 03 Jul - Osmotherley Phoenix - 33mi.
Sat 10 Jul - White Peak Walk - 26mi.
Sat 17 Jul - (rest)
Sat 24 Jul - Lakeland 100 - 100mi.
Sat 31 Jul - (rest)
Sun 08 Aug - Long Tour of Bradwell - 32mi.
Sat 14 Aug - (any suggestions?)
Sat 21 Aug - (any suggestions?)
Sat 28 Aug - (UTMB denied – TDS or GRP as alternative?)
Sat 04 Sep - (rest – resist the lure of the BSH!)
Sat 11 Sep - Pumlumon Challenge - 26mi.
Sat 18 Sep - High Peak 40 - 40mi.
Sat 25 Sep - (any suggestions?)
Sat 02 Oct - (any suggestions?)
Sat 09 Oct - (any suggestions?)
Sat 16 Oct - Rowbotham’s Round Rotherham - 50mi.
Sat 23 Oct - (rest)
Sat 30 Oct - Snowdonia Marathon - 26.2mi.

That’s as far as I’ve looked so far.

VFF update.
Boy, those fivefingers give you a right good work-out. I ran to work in them again on Monday and they got their first dose of mud, which squelched up between the toes. It felt wonderful at the time (the running, not the mud – although I don’t know ….). I thought I might have got away with it with the muscle trauma, but no. By Tuesday morning my calves were feeling sufficiently worked-over for me to run in my normal running shoes. As the day progressed the Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness began to make itself known in no uncertain terms, such that descending stairs was painfully laboured. Today they are plain trashed. Somehow, running (in normal shoes) is less painful than simple walking.
At the moment I can only manage one VFF commute per week. I shall persevere until I can get my muscles adapted for the daily commute run without any issues. I can’t wait for that to happen. It’s a great leg, foot and core strengthening exercise because of the way you are forced to run. Once I’ve acclimatised I may struggle to get my trousers on, such will be the circumference of my calves ;-)

2010 week 1.

The beginning of 2010 ‘paralysed’ our world with a winter playground the likes of which I have never experienced.

After a couple of run cancellations leading up to Christmas I had not been getting my usual exercise for too long. My appetite had vanished as a result and I was not able to enjoy the overindulgences of Christmas as much as I would have liked. Something had to be done. I forged a plan.

Saturday 2nd Jan.
I was all set to run the 16 miles up to Buxton and meet up with friend and family for a meal and (more) drinks, but the sky turned black and snow fell with a vengeance as I was about to leave, so I thought better of it. I got the train instead. I was very glad I wasn’t driving because mostly only pedestrians were moving in Buxton. The snow turned to rain in Stockport but it remained as snow in Buxton.

Monday 4th Jan.
I was glad to get back to work and some kind of routine. The ground was covered with slush, on top of black ice from the melted remains of the pre-Christmas snowfalls, so it was very slippery. I decided to walk for safety reasons, but at least I was getting some exercise.

Tuesday 5th Jan.
We had been dumped on in a way I had never known before. Snow had fallen since 7pm the previous evening and it was still falling. Everything was plastered including telephone wires, which were now 2” in diameter and sagging alarmingly. It was deathly quiet when I emerged from the house, just like it would be on Christmas morning when everyone is still in bed. What sound there was from idling car engines on the main road, was being absorbed by the snow, so I heard nothing. I was glad I didn’t have to drive. I ran. Fresh, dry snow is much safer to run on. The scene before me was breathtaking. Six inches of snow had fallen in one go, something I have never known in my 46 years here in Stockport.

Wednesday 6th Jan.
I took my Vibram fivefingers for a spin today – my first run in them. The fresh snow provided the ideal nursery conditions to break out of heel-strike mode and adopt the forefoot running demanded by them. It felt so good and natural to be in such close contact with the ground, but forefoot running somehow felt less efficient and seemed to slow me down. More importantly, it really tires the calf muscles when you are not used to it. Two miles there and back finished me off and I needed a few days’ recovery before another run in them, or the calf soreness I was feeling would have become a total calf trashing.

Thursday 7th Jan.
Back to the normal running shoes today to allow the complaining calves to recover. The air was calm yet biting when I emerged from the house. The snow was still fresh with not a hint of melting as I creaked my way to work in the deep powder. My legs were all a glow by the time I arrived (I was in shorts as usual). I was informed that the temperature had reached minus 18°C in Woodford, just up the road from where I was. It was still -13°C in our work car-park at 9am! It didn’t rise much higher all day.

Saturday 9th Jan.
I was due to run The Tandem today but the severe weather forced its postponement until Feb 20th. The temperature had remained well below freezing since Monday night and the air had remained calm. The ground, trees and shrubs were still thickly smothered or hidden by at least 6” of snow even at the low levels where I live, where an inch of snow that lasts for a day would normally be regarded as a significant event. Now would be my last chance to run the 16 miles up to Buxton and take in some frozen winter wonderland views.

And so, at 08:45 I found myself jogging up the A6 towards Lyme Park and Disley on the most direct road route to Whaley Bridge. I decided to avoid the countryside route, where progress would be difficult. The roads should be more runnable. The section over the top from Whaley Bridge to Buxton via the track would be a different matter – much more remote and potentially dangerous, so my rucksack was loaded with spare warm clothes, survival bag, first aid kit, whistle, mobile phone, food and drink, just in case.

I made good progress on the roads, which had been well cleared. I encountered the first signs of the easterly wind and blowing snow on the old road from Disley to Whaley Bridge. I expected much worse after Whaley Bridge.

I had not done this route for well over a decade. The last time was when I was just getting into long distance walking. It was great to activate my distant memories again and get to see the route in a completely different - more like unique - way.

The track out of Whaley Bridge had been ploughed and remained runnable for a surprisingly long way, as far as the Whitehall Outdoor Pursuits Centre just past the left turn down to Combs. The snow was very thick and even the gorse bushes were completely hidden underneath the white blanket.

After the Whitehall Centre, where access was no longer required, the scene changed instantly to one of wild, desolate isolation with not a soul in sight or earshot, where the easterly wind and Nature were now in charge. It was like a desert but the ‘sand’ was blinding white in the sunshine. I was in a world of dunes, snow sculptures, drifts, buried features and even a snow cave. I was standing tall, much taller than I should have been, yet I was up to my knees in it. My face was getting ‘sandblasted’ as I looked around at the rare, beautiful sight in utter captivation.

A good mile of serious trudging and post-holing eventually brought me down to Long Hill, the main road that rises out of Buxton. My legs and feet were amazingly dry and warm. The dry powder had not ventured too far and must have remained frozen. A mile's down-hill run brought me into Buxton for my 1-week-delayed dinner date at The Old Clubhouse. Even with all that trudging and stopping to gawp at the views and take pictures, my journey time of 3.5 hours was half an hour faster than I’d ever done before. That’s the difference between only walking and running a bit.

I went to the train station to meet my fellow diners. The railway was buried, save for the two exposed lines in grooves in the snow.

After a quick change into ‘civvies’ and some more comfortable footwear I was relaxing with a pint, looking out on a snowy Buxton scene and relating stories & showing pictures of what I’d seen.

What a week! What an introduction to 2010!!

All 78 of the week's pictures are here.