Gravy Pud fell race 5mi. 01/12/2013.

Third year on the trot for me; I had to come back to Tintwistle.

Tintwistle - an old stone-built village bisected by the Woodhead Pass on the edge of civilisation at the foot of the Pennines.

The Bull's Head - a low-ceilinged country pub with open fires that forms race base.

Home-made cakes - post-race food.

Ancient cobbled track - the route we all run up together at Andi's sanction and run down in our own time, in a state of near collapse.

Blue and orange stripy snake - Glossopdale Harriers' new mascot making its weekly outing.

2013 provided the biggest turnout yet with well over 200 runners standing at the foot of that cobbled track awaiting Andi Jones' send-off instructions. The challenge of Lees Hill awaited, and it wasn't raining.

There then followed another personal beasting, pushing to the limit with tunnel vision. Let no extraneous or irrelevant stimulus detract from the job at hand - getting to that finish line as fast as humanly possible.

That's how to run a fell race and the best (retrospective) enjoyment to be had anywhere. If you do it three or four times a week you might see some improvement in race times. I was back down to one a week, so virtually back to last year's time as well. Couldn't complain at 0:48:51 though. Top half finishes are hard to come by.

Quick getaway afterwards sans cake to get one of the runners to hospital after a nasty fall and head injury. Although badly shaken up, he suffered no serious damage, thankfully.

Under starter's orders.

Lees Hill.

Caity wears the mascot.

Here are all the pictures I took.

Famous Grouse fell race 5.2mi. 24/11/2013.

Race 10 of 10 in the 2013 Hayfield Championship series.

Grand Slam or no Grand Slam, I would have been here anyway. It's one of my local favourite lung-burners and knee-trashers. It has a long steep uphill start that has me nearly blacking out with the effort, tunnel vision an' all. Ooh the sadistic pleasure of pushing the body to its limits in the safe knowledge that it's moving slowly enough not to do itself serious damage should the lights really go out.

The familiar ups and downs ensued once again on part of the Bullock Smithy Hike route up to Big Stone and down to Peep O' Day before the slanting contour that delivered us eventually to that surprising final climb that shouldn't really be there if they got their route properly optimised. ;-)

I enjoyed a tussle with Tim Ruck on his comeback from an extended lay-off. He caught me on that final climb. His sudden indecent burst of speed pulled him ahead as we began our long, leg-trashing descent back to the finish. I reeled him in again but not quite enough to catch him before the line. Well done Tim.

That final climb as Tim does his overtaking manoeuvre.

I managed 0:49:42, which was 23 seconds slower than my PB in 2010, when we enjoyed perfect deep-frozen conditions (this year was back to normal with soft sogginess).

Food, drink and presentations were had back in The Grouse Inn. Jack Ross, the style icon with the proper hat ('thumbup'), won in 0:34:53. Second was Christopher Leigh in 0:35:54. Third was Tom Bush in 0:36:39. First woman and 7th overall was Olivia Walwyn in 0:38:40.

A few of us won the Grand Slam award for completing all 10 Hayfield races. Mine required a successful "Race within a race", which was one of the highlights of my racing year.

Here are the pictures I managed to take.

November 2013 - a couple of races in America

I was in America for two and a half weeks in November on business. I would be there over two weekends. Naturally the web was scoured for every possible race opportunity. The outcome was:

Sat 09/11 - LUNGEVITY Breathe Deep Busse Woods 10k, Chicago.

This was run in aid of the Lungevity lung cancer charity. It was well organised with electronic timing, small and friendly and consisted of an out-and-back on an undulating and winding paved biking/walking trail, so it was fast compared to what I'm used to. My time of 46:38 was 20 seconds outside my PB at Offerton 10k earlier this year (on a much hillier course). Business travel takes the edge off.

Post race I enjoyed a conversation with a Scot living in Chicago who ran a race in my home town earlier in the year. The running world really is a small one. Then I enjoyed another 4 miles of exercise retrieving course markers, which earned me a free lift back to the hotel.

Next day an icy blast blew down from the north and dumped over a foot of snow on us on Sunday night and into Monday.

Lake effect snow beside Lake Michigan in early November.

Sun 17/11 - Silver Strand Half Marathon, San Diego.

Vintage Chevy and surf board at the start.

This race was also electronically timed, but with a turnout of thousands rather than tens like last week. It followed a flat, linear route along the coast from Coronado to Imperial Beach. There were also 10 mile and 5k options, a wheelchair category and a roller skater category. Talking of whom, the winning skater completed the 13.1 miles within half an hour. That's averaging 26mph!

The skaters, poised for the off.

We started next to a military base and followed freeways that had been closed just for us before running a big out-and-back through another military base just before the finish. I set off ambitiously with the 1:40 group. I had to let them go by 3 miles. The 1:45 group caught me just after 7 miles. I thought I'd tag along with them instead. No chance! I couldn't hold onto them either. The 1:50 group crept up on me on the return leg in the military base with just over a mile left. I sped up and did my best to hold on, but couldn't even manage that. I just about held them in sight as we entered the long straight to the finish.

As I crossed the line a finisher's medal was draped around my neck. It's a quality piece as these things go, depicting as it does the vintage 1950s Chevrolet with vintage surf board on top that was there in real life.

Nice bling.

I can't remember when I last ran a half marathon; it's been many years, but I know I've run faster than 1:51. Did I ever say that business travel wrecks running speed?

The pleasant temperatures had resulted in much perspiration and a salt encrusted face by the finish. We recovered in the sunshine at Imperial Beach with food nibbles, beer and live music, after which it was time for me to return to the hotel. It was still only 11am. They start races early in the US.

I was able to take pictures this time.

Snowdonia Marathon. 26/10/2013.

It's the only one I do. This was my 8th consecutive running. This is another race that's improved markedly over the years. Nice route, challenging, lovely views, friendliness, support, some off-road trail (road runners don't read that bit), rave reviews and max ratings on Runners World, and Y Pantri. What's not to like? I'll be back. Accommodation's already booked (thanks Stu!).

Entries for 2014 open in a few hours' time at midnight New Year's Day. Just saying.

Here are all the pictures I took.

Round Rotherham 50mi. 19/10/2013.

Race 12 of 12 in the 2013 Runfurther series.

Back for the 9th time since 2001 (2001 was my first ever DNF), I've seen some improvements to this route over the years as it gets tarted up by the local council and disputed footpaths get reopened (and tarted up!) and the canals get cleaned up.

The weather started off the most damp and drab it's been since the move from December to October in 2009, but it could have been so much worse had it obeyed the forecast. It was very mild, the early dampness giving way to brightening skies as we followed the strip maps around the checkpoints at Grange Park (slightly relocated), Treeton, Harthill, Woodsets, Firbeck, Maltby and Old Denaby. As usual it became a rather lonely affair later on as I played hunter and hunted once again (catching others and trying not to get caught myself). It seemed to work again because 9:18 was only 5 minutes outside PB time. Once again I'd finished the Runfurther series on a high with my highest points. I love this event.

The loneliness of the later miles was partly eased by passing conversation with a couple of scallywags who were sitting near the dead-end canal just before the new footpath highway to the finish. They were intrigued who these people were who were trying to make haste towards Dearne Valley College. Mention of 50 miles around Rotherham back to the college drew disbelief and incredulity. Then one of the young scamps asked something like: "Do you get wood?". Eh? No, I'm not fast enough to get any trophies.

CP1 @ Grange Park.

CP2 @ Treeton.

One of the railway crossings.

Leaving Firbeck.

Approaching Roche Abbey.

Approaching last checkpoint @ Old Denaby.

The finish!

Jon Steele and David Cremins weren't far behind.

Runfurther flags hang out to dry on Sunday.

My full set of photos is here.

Windgather fell race 13.5mi. 13/10/2013.

Race 4 of 4 in the 2013 Goyt Valley series.

Down to only one fell race a month now, it felt good to be back racing at high intensity, even if it was a bit damp outside. The turnout was large because it was the final counter in the Accelerate Gritstone series and the Goyt Valley series. The Goyt Valley series was my reason for being here for the first time.

Based out of Burbage Institute, our route took us up the same lane out of Buxton that I've followed most years since 1998 on the High Peak 40. However, over the top of the first climb, instead of turning right to follow the old quarry trackbed, we crossed onto the fells for an odyssey into the unknown (a new, much more interesting route) down to the Goyt Valley reservoirs. We crossed below the dam on the reverse of the Shining Tor race finish and along the other side to pick up the Whaley Waltz route up to Windgather Rocks before continuing along the tops to Shining Tor. The rain had finally begun to drive in from the right but we didn't mind because we were running. I felt sorry for the marshals, though.

After Shining Tor it was a left turn down to the valley again to pick up the Goyt's Moss race route up the other side and over the top towards Buxton. Barny Crawshaw had overtaken me on the climb to Shining Tor but I was chasing him down again all the way to the finishing field on the outskirts of Buxton. I couldn't quite catch him. I gasped for breath in the finishing gazebo feeling thoroughly used-up and knowing I'd done it justice. As the rain pattering down on the roof did its best to drown out the panting, a marshal asked to see my kit. Rotate bumbag around to expose full waterproof body cover and a survival bag. "Ooh, I wish they were all as well equipped as you." With compliments like that I'll come back next year, for sure.

Back in the hall we enjoyed home-made soup, cheese rolls and cake and tea while we chatted and waited for the presentations. The few runners who had completed the Grand Slam of all four Goyt Valley races (Shining Tor, Whaley Waltz, Goyt's Moss and Windgather) received a nice glass trophy, which was quite a surprise considering we didn't have to pay anything to register for the series (Hayfield, how's that for competition?).

Rob Turner was out on the course taking pictures despite the poor light conditions.

Picture courtesy Rob Turner. His full set is here.