Fach off

to an horrendous race finish. It seemed like a great 3km descent to the finish - only it wasn't because once to the low point you had to head back up this bastard steep bit. Arse. Still I had another good run as my form continues to return. I've nothing to compare it to other than other peoples previous race times - and I think today's 1 hour and 56 seconds holds up on the 10.5km course with 2,100 feet ascent. I'm quite pleased. I could have done with a tad more strength on the major climb and maybe a fraction more endurance on the steep descent but overall things are definitely moving in the right direction. And it was a great warm up for tomorrow's Magor Marsh 10k...

Waun Fach Fell Race route;

It's a sore point

One blister has come on well - the other, less so. To be honest it's still going to be a bit sore tomorrow - and the seven mountainous miles of Waun Fach at 2pm ain't gonna help it along any. I can sense operation 'tape that sucker' warming up in the wings. All of which means it back to the back again. That's four nights out of five.

Now I know it's nothing like running but it's the best option I've got - and it's good to have an easy week every now and then - now, don't be nasty and mention I've had several years of easy.

So, it's a double header race weekend which will provide some solid - if painful - training. And I'm really planning to kick some ass on the mountains tomorrow...

Well that didn't quite work

I thought I'd be clever. Have a lie in. Head to work late. Work till 6 and then head over the bridge for the Chepstow training session - it didn't quite pan out. I've been working hard ironing out the creases of the plant specification I'm putting together. As the clock edged towards six I was done in. My head was throbbing and I couldn't face the 40 minute drive. Although, to be fair, my feet still aren't quite right and I'm not sure how comfortable my run would have been had I made it. So it was back to a sweaty session on the bike instead. Only sixty minutes tonight. The only plus is that I should at least be fully rested and the blisters healed for Waun Fach on Saturday.

And I've learnt a valuable lesson. Into work early. Home early. Recharge and then to training...

Numbing down

With more European Championship on TV and my ever sore feet still, well, sore it was once more unto saddle. I'm crossing my fingers they'll be feeling a lot better tomorrow. Ideally I'd like to get over to Chepstow tomorrow night for the training Hash run but I'll only be heading there if the feet are a lot better. I've got a good weekend of running planned with Waun Fach on Saturday followed by the Magor Marsh 10k on Sunday - but if the feet aren't right I'll be struggling so if the worst comes to the worst it'll be more bike until then. I can't afford to set back the healing process. I'm looking forward to the racing. Feeling strong I'll be going for it.

Anyway, tonight I managed 90 minutes before my bum got numb. Now back to the Europeans...

Easy does it

I couldn't just sit on my backside tonight. My legs are achy - not overly so, been worse and my blisters are, well, still blistered - what did you expect, some kind of miracle cure? Anyway, I hopped on the bike for sixty. It wasn't aggressive, just steady. Turning the legs over, trying to get some kind of recovery before tomorrow's Bridge Inn race. No doubt I will be as slow as ever but what the heck...

Blistering Barnacles

I'm now sporting a pair of symmetrically placed blisters on the sides of my feet, sort of inside top area. One is red raw, the other has maintained skin structural integrity - I guess I've not raced a long in my Wave Harriers before.

Anyway, it was a great day for it. Ideal conditions. It was misty on top and sunny in the dips and very little wind - except for the beans. As is the norm for the Seaview 17 - the 21 mile 'undulating' race along the coastal path from Contisbury to Minehead - we huddled at the start for the official photo and then we were off.

I found myself in the unusual position of leading things out which I maintained for about three miles. It didn't last as I had to cool it. I was overcooking it trying to stay ahead and 21 miles is a long way. That kind of distance can be hell if you've burnt up inside five miles. I eased to the side to let five or six runners past. I wouldn't have held them for long and I'd have blown my chances of a good run. A few more came past in the next couple of miles but I continued to hover around the top ten.

As is now customary for me in this race, I ballsed up at mile five and darted off downhill on the coastal path - just not the bit of the coastal path we follow - doh. On the upside I led a load of others the wrong way too but on the downside the net affect was a couple of minutes lost, some energy wasted and a few more places dropped - doh, doh. Will I ever run this race and not go wrong? Maybe fourth time lucky next year?

The race steadied for the next six or seven miles as we wound our way around the coast down to Porlock Weir and the flats before hitting the main climb. I made inroads into the places I'd lost and moved somewhere back towards the top ten.

I stuffed my face full of dates and drink on the steep climb. It's too steep to run so I took the opportunity to fuel up. A couple came past but I was more concerned with getting the fuel onboard than flogging myself to death on the climb. With six or seven miles left to go once you get to the top, running out of energy is not the thing to do - been there done that, got the T-shirt. A few lost seconds on the climb could save minutes at the end.

Across the top I worked hard to get back on terms with one of those who'd come past on the climb and for four miles we worked well together. Sharing the lead as we pulled out an uncatchable lead on those chasing us - but we failed to dent the lead the chap ahead had over us - win some, lose some.

On the descent to Minehead - which goes on and on - I got a stitch and struggled for ten minutes. Fortunately - for me, not him - the guy I was running with was starting to go into energy debt and dropped back. With the stitch gone I pushed hard to the end but never managed to make any ground on the runner ahead.

In the end I finished in 7th place in a time of 2 hours 56 minutes. I'm really pleased with that and it's only four minutes down on my best from back in the day. I felt pretty strong the whole way and it was definitely a good decision to ease back in those early miles.

Well done to Minehead RC for putting on another great race, and a lovely buffet at the end.

Seaview 17 route (with unintentional variation);

Final prep

Well it's just under 16 hours to one of my favourite races, the Seaview 17. I don't know why it's one of my favourites but I guess the 20 miles of scenic running has something to do with it. The route winds its way along narrow paths, wider tracks and even wider heathland. Taking in woodland, fields - and that nasty last mile on the road - that's not the best bit, by the way. Nor is the getting up at six o'clock in the morning to get down there - oh, the sacrifice.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully the weather will be kind, the wind remain calm and then we can all have an enjoyable romp. And maybe, just maybe, this year I won't go wrong. Both my previous attempts have resulted in a measure of error. Fingers crossed for third time lucky...

Easing back with the bike

I almost didn't bother with anything today. Could I give in to another two days of resting? The old me would have. The belly reducing me says no, so I hopped on the bike for a fairly easy hour. Burnt a few calories without putting undue strain on the muscles. Really targetting Sunday's Seaview 17 - hope I don't run like a donkey. That would be a real downer but I feel good, so that won't happen.

Sixty minutes

Well, today I only managed a sixty minute session - sixty minutes with my feet up and arse firmly fixed to the sofa watching telly. Yes folks, today I rest - and I'm not ashamed.

Been back to the daily grind - not that I find it a grind, I enjoy my work - but it's been tiring. Or maybe its just me that's tired and work's got nothing to do with it. Anyway, I'm up early tomorrow for a training session at eight - OK, that's not early but it's a forty five minute drive away. I could skip it but seeing as I'm supposed to be doing some of the leading it might not go down too well.

Hasta la vista, baby

Lemon fresh

Well that's me exercised for the day and showered, lemony fresh. I'm tapering back now for the Seaview 17 on Sunday. I really really want to go well there. When I ran it in 2007 I ran 2h 52m which included making a navigational cockup with only a couple of miles to go while in the lead. That cost me dear and I finished second. Last year it took me 3h 18m - and I didn't even add the extra mile. I don't think I'm back to my 2007 form - infact, I know I'm not - but I feel three hours is a possibility and that's what I'll be going for. So between now and Sunday I'm taking it easy. I want my body fully recovered. I've given it a bit of a hammering. It's held up well and I feel all the stronger and fitter for it but now's a time for a few days rest. To that end I put in a steady 60 minutes on the bike.

Addendum: I was 4th overall in the combined, cumulative time of the Pen-y-Fan/Fan-y-Big races (by my calculation).

Good game, good game

I got out of bed this morning - not that surprising I guess. Legs said no. The training run was off. I went for a walk instead, a leisurely ninety minuter. Pretty sure that helped my legs for this evenings race. And what a bloody race.

I headed over to Llanhennock, parked up - and then stayed in the car until fifteen minutes to go. It was peeing down. I registered with Sid, the team manager, and jogged down to the start. The race itself was part of the Leisure Centre League Summer Series. A team event with first ten past the post from each team to score. It was a tad under ten kilometres on the road and undulating would be an under statement. It was so hilly it was almost an A category fell race - not really, but it was probably the toughest 10k I've run.

It's been a good eleven days of training and racing during which time I've covered about 110 miles and 22,000 feet of ascent. That's way more than I've been running of late. Practically a months worth in just those eleven days. Culminating in three races in four days of which tonight's was another good one for me. I finished in 36th place in a time of 41:54 - not bad considering that's not far outside my Sundayshill time and it had half the ascent of tonight's race. Whether I score for the team or not I ran about as good a race as I could have hoped for. Tactically I reckon I got it just about right, eeking out the best from my tired old legs.

I started steady - make that slow. From the start the route was upwards before a long section downhill where I started to pick things up. By the low point - of the race route, not my performance - I'd moved nicely through the field. It was good motivation to know every racer I overtook helped the team score by knocking the opposing team scores back. I hung in there, dug deep and stuck to the task at hand. Steadily picking off the runners ahead one by one.

The ascent was tough and by the final climb of about a kilometre I was blowing badly but no one came past - 'cept for one guy was sprinting but in my book - a very good read, top of the best sellers - he'd not run hard enough in the preceding nine kilometres and should have been way ahead anyway.

Early signs are that we took the win - yeah - but I guess I shouldn't jump the gun until the official results are ratified.

The Caerleon Race Route;

Not in the army now

whoa, whoa, not in the army, now [one for the Status Quo fans]. I love burning off the Army. They were out in force - and with guns. No fear. I burnt them. That's twice in two days because they were out yesterday over by Fan-y-Big as well.

I headed over to the Storey Arms today for a recce of a small section of the South Wales Traverse. Visibility was brilliant so it was a great day to take a good look around from the tops of various summits and get a feel for the area. I've not really ever been on the mountains east of Storey Arms so today's weather could not have been better - and I didn't even have to slip Michael Fish a bung.

After 33 miles Wednesday, 6 on Thursday and two hard races Yesterday and Saturday I was expecting to struggle. I took full kit just in case. Sun blocked up and headed out. I went straight up Fan Fawr - puffing somewhat. Then ran south east on a lovely steady descent - except for the boggy, reedy bits which were hard going, but mercifully short. From the bottom river crossing there was a short section through some woods before heading up to Fan Nedd. That climb was a bastard for most of the way. No real path to speak of just the occasional sheep trod but plenty of wet, boggy bits and knee high tussocks. It seemed to take ages but I pushed the pace as best I could.

Once at the trig I headed straight down into the valley westwards. Again it was too tussocky to really go flat out but it was a quickish descent never the less. Back across the river and then a slow, cross county ascent to Fan Llia before finally getting some good running in on the path around to Fan Frynych. It was here I burnt all the soldiers off - on the up as well as the down - nice.

Then from Frynych it was straight cross country and more tussocks before the sharp ascent of Fan Fawr. From there it was just a few minutes back down to the car.

In all I ran just under 16 miles with 4,300 feet of ascent on fairly rough terrain. It took a pleasingly short 3 hours 23 minutes. I was expecting it to take longer on two counts; that of the roughness and the tiredness of me. I reckon tomorrow's run in the Black Mountains above Abergavenny might be a struggle...

Today's route;

I felt it in my fingers

I felt it in my toes - or more accurately my quads. I wanted to push hard on the 2,100 feet of ascent of the Fan-y-Big fell race but just didn't have the power. The 10 mile route was enjoyable though. The weather was just about alright. It was wet. Misty on the top but I could have done without the 'into your face' wind on the way up to the top. From memory I think it was windier this year than last but that's probably a close call.

It was a tough old climb. Runnable under normal circumstances but I had to admit defeat and walk bits here and there. I tried to hang on to Matthew L as he powered past. I stayed with him for a mile or so but in the end he drifted out the front, soon to disappear in the mist - not that I'm claiming he's a gorilla, mind.

The climb seemed to go on forever but finally I breached the summit and started around the ridge. I felt surprisingly good on the ridge and caught a few runners - a very nice surprise. By the time I got to the crossroad bit I was on my own. No one in view to the front or behind.

I pushed on down the descent which, like the ascent, seemed to go for ages and I began to doubt I was on the right route. But as soon as the doubts started four runners came into view, barely visible in the mist. Target acquired. With four places to be gained I made my power play and picked it up. I knew I needed to get past before the fell gave way to the final, horribly road section.

Soon I was running in their slip stream but the windy, rocky, single track meant overtaking was tricky. Eventually I made it past - including my old mate, Jason from Chippenham. He's had the better of me the last few times we've crossed swords. Today was my revenge - but in a friendly way. We cross swords again in next weeks Seaview 17...

By the time I made it to the road section I was clear. No one ahead and a good gap behind. Not wanting to destroy my legs on the hard surface I eased a little on the run in to finish in 20th place from close to 100 runners in all and a mere few seconds shy of my time from last year, 1:32:33. I'm pleased with that as last year I didn't run the double so to get the same time is almost like going quicker - it is in my mind anyway and from my log data I actually ran a near identical race to last year. I was within a few seconds of last years time to the Summit, to the end of the ridge and to the road. Almost an action replay. The only difference is that I didn't run the shortcut this time so maybe that cost me a bit of time - guess we'll never know.

Tomorrow I head back over to the mountains for a longish run. Now to plan my route...

Oh, and well done to Crispin, Naomi and Emma and all the marshals for hosting a great pair of races.

Fan-y-Big race route;

Great race

If you've never run the Pen-y-Fan race you're missing a great race. It's not long but it's tough.

I've never run it before and too be honest didn't really expect that much from it. It's only 3.5 miles but has a ton of ascent - 2,000 feet. That's over 500 feet of ascent per mile - that's a lot. Now I've run it I can safely say it's one of my favourites. The organisation was great. Free cake afterwards too. Thumbs up.

I set off mid pack, well down from the head of the race, somewhere between 20th and 30th place. For those that don't know the race basically splits into the 'up' section - and funnily enough - the 'down' section. That's about it really. I chugged away on the runnable climb to the stile. My legs felt pants and I thought I was in for a really bad time. Then I chugged away a bit more until the climb heads into the 'it's legitimate to walk' phase.

I gained a few places on the walk but once I approached the ridge climb my legs started to feel much better and I started to run again - honest, it might not have been quick but I was really running. I managed about two thirds of the climb to Corn Du before I was walking again - legitimate. From the top of CD it's a quick blast off into the dip and up Pen-y-Fan. As per my recce of two weeks ago, I managed to run all the way to top again.

Then it's into the 'down' section - and in this case, down means down. Steep down. I lost one place to one seriously suicidal bloke but gained a few myself. By the time the descent eases things were pretty spread out and then it's just a few minutes of fast, very fast, running to the finish. All down hill - yeah.

I finished in 43:38 and 12th place. I'm pleased with that. My legs feel like someone has been hammering at them with a pickaxe but hopefully they will recover - and hopefully before tomorrow's race. I'll be running Fan-y-Big - chuckle, chuckle - regardless.

Pen-y-Fan Race Route;