Monday 13 October 2014

Photos from "Ridgeway Run 2014"

Just after three mile point and water station ..



Approaching six mile point and 2nd water station ..



Off we go again ..




Sprint finish!


Beat him!!
 Check time - new PB!!!
Well done mate ..

Collect t-shirt, meet up with family .. and recover



Tring Ridgeway Run 2014

Here are my thought on yesterday's race in Tring - my 3rd time running it but the race itself has been going for 33 years. Photos to follow ..

As I sat having my breakfast porridge at the hotel, the mists were slowly clearing and I could see Incombe Hole in the distance, part of the route I would be running a bit later. Breakfast over, I collected my gear and made my way to Tring Park Cricket Club where the race is based. Arriving early (8:50am) I nabbed a good parking spot. Wandered over to race control to pick up my number – a very efficient setup and I was on my way back to the car within a minute or two. The weather was warming up a bit and there was no rain forecast – so decided to go with shorts and t-shirt and hope I would be warm enough. Did a bit of stretching, pinned my number on, paid a call of nature (toilet queues weren’t too bad) then it was time to ditch the fleece and to walk to the start in Marshcroft Lane, jogging and jumping around a bit as I did so to try and warm up a bit.

I positioned myself towards the back of the group and at 10:00am on the dot the race started.  I settled in to my own rhythm and ignored various people running past me. The first mile is flat and my split was 10:45. You cross a road and follow some narrow footpaths through woods – there was a hold-up ahead and we had to walk. There’s also a small climb to negotiate - I passed a few people who were already walking who I had seen run past me at the start. Checked my watch – mile 2 split was 11:33. You emerge from the woods, run alongside a golf course, cross a road and run through a farmyard and then the track ahead begins the first big climb. I ran about halfway up but then (like everyone around me) when it got to the steep section, decided to walk. I started running again towards the top when it flattened out – saw my family here for the first time and waved for photos. Checked my watch again – mile 3 split was 12:20 and although I was breathing hard I felt fine.

The 4th and 5th miles are on a broad track along the ridge through Ashridge  - I settled back into my rhythm and was passing a few people and my splits were 10:42 & 10:47. Shortly after the 5 ml point you follow a footpath then make a sharp turn at the top of Incombe Hole – this is steep at the top but flattens out gradually. I let gravity take over and felt great as we approached the 6ml point. Another check of the watch – pleased to see 10:19 being displayed. We crossed the road and I prepared myself for the next climb. Saw my family again here and waved for more photos. I was walking up Pitstone Hill when I saw my sister at the top taking photos – felt duty bound to start running again. 

By now we were running on the Ridgeway Path itself and there are rabbit holes, tree roots, steps and ramblers to keep an eye out for. My mile 7 split was 11:40 because of the earlier walk break and the terrain. I still felt good as we emerged from the woods, and followed the paths down to cross the road and start re-tracing our steps back along Marshcroft Lane. A group of 3 or 4 women behind me had thanked me for towing them along the last two miles through the woods and overtook me at this point –cheeky buggers! I tried to stay with them – checked my watch at mile 8 and the split was 10:20 so was pleased with that.

I was starting to feel tired but knew I had the chance to post a good time so kept pushing along and trying to keep up with the ‘cheeky girls’ who by now were disappearing into the distance. In the last mile I found myself running along with two other guys and we were swapping places all the time. I had started trying to speed up but they were doing the same and overtaking me. So I stayed behind them as we approached the finish together and readied myself. 

Crossing the road with 50yds to go, the marshal said “There’s a finish line just through that gate – come on, let’s see you go for it!”. We were running abreast by now and I was in the middle. As we ran through the gate I took my chance and set off between them hoping to catch them unawares. One guy fell behind but the other came alongside me. I pushed again and he did the same and I sensed him coming past me again. With a final effort I got ahead of him and beat him to the line. We were all smiles afterwards and agreed there’s nothing quite like a sprint finish. I had remembered to stop my Garmin as I crossed the line and was delighted to see a new PB of 1:43:02 (5.5 mins quicker than last year). 

Checking afterwards my split for the 9th mile was 09:55 and 09:15 for the last 0.7 of a mile. I collected my technical t-shirt – this year it’s bright yellow and will be great for Winter training – then met up with my family to re-live the race and be told I had been looking good at 3mls, 6mls and especially in my sprint finish. Some more photos and they wanted to know if I’ll be back again next year. I certainly plan to be there - I think I can improve some more, especially on the hilly sections. And if I can get faster on the flat sections there’s less chance of being held up in the first few miles. 

Sunday 20 July 2014

C2C - Day 12

I wrote this at the end of day 12 but didn't get a chance to post it - seemed a shame to waste it!

Thu 17th - Blakey Ridge to Grosmont (Day 12)

14ml, 6h 45m

I was still feeling worn out after yesterday's 20 mile leg. As we set off down the road I tried to keep up with the front group but my legs didn't want to know! So I walked at the back with Liz and Pauline.

After a few miles of road walking we joined a track across heather moorland. The sun was out again and it was very warm. With conditions like this I have been very glad of my Camelbak so that I have enough water every day. The front of the group were quite a way ahead by this time and I was still towards the back.

The route took us to Glaisedale where most of the group too advantage of a tea shop. Then on through the village to Beggar's Bridge and Arncliffe Woods until we eventually arrived at Egton Bridge. After a lunch stop beside the river (lunch Mk 2) we made our way along the old toll road through the Egton estate and eventually arrived at Grosmont. I had regained some energy by this time but was still feeling very tired.

We had booked a table at the Station Tavern and a very noisy meal it was too. I think an 'end of term' feeling had already started to make itself known. A Frenchman called Jean-Luc has been walking the C2C alone at the same time as us and our group has become friendly with him. So Jean-Luc joined us for our meal as an honorary member of the group.

Various national anthems were sung and rather than complaining the people in the other bar complimented the group on their singing!

Friday 18 July 2014

C2C - final day

Mission accomplished! :-) We arrived at Robin Hoods Bay at 4pm today. We dipped our boots in the North Sea and threw the pebbles into the water that we have carried from St Bees. Then visited the Bay Hotel to sign the Coast To Coast book and drink a well-earned pint.

Wednesday 16 July 2014

C2C Day 11

Tough day with 20 miles done and 2500 feet of climbing. Coped better with conditions but completely worn out tonight and feet sore. Easier day tomorrow.

** Updated Thu 17th **

Wed 16th - Ingleby Cross to Blakey Ridge (Day 11)

19.75ml, 9.5hrs

Today's leg was described a rollercoaster day and they weren't kidding. Right from the start we were climbing as we followed a forest trail up through the trees and joined the Cleveland Way. We then climbed a succession of what Chris our leader referred to as 'big bumps' as we climbed up onto high moorland.

The heather is not yet out in most places except for one or two small patches. Every now and then we would disturb some grouse hiding nearby who would go running off down the track ahead of us. A lot of work has been done on the moors as in places there are almost the equivalent of pavements across the moor. From the very highest parts of the Moor we could see the industrial areas Tees Port.

Early on in the walk we came across some teenagers doing their Duke of Edinburgh award. Several times they came storming past us only for us to find them around the next corner resting. Slow and steady was definitely the best method and especially when climbing hills. Our leader Chris has shown us how you can conserve energy by taking 'baby steps' uphill. It seems counter-intuitive at first but by taking smaller steps and using the bigger muscles of the legs you have more energy left for the next hill (and the next and the next ..)

By late afternoon we had done most of the climbing. We left the Cleveland Way at a place called Bloworth Crossing and for the last few miles followed a disused railway line that crosses the moor. The line seemed to stretch on into the distance forever and we began to wonder when the walk would end. And then, just as described in Wainwright's guide, the Lion Inn appeared in the distance as we rounded a corner.

It had begun to rain by now but to be honest, none of us cared by this point. We just kept putting one foot in front of the other and little by little we got closer until we finally arrived.

I was yawning throughout our evening meal and was so exhausted after the walk when I laid down on the bed to email a quick update to my blog I promptly fell asleep and woke up an hour later. When I did try and get ready for bed and tried to get back to sleep I couldn't get comfortable at first. My legs were aching and my feet were throbbing but eventually I managed to nod off.


Tuesday 15 July 2014

C2C Day 10

Only time for a quick update tonight .. more detailed update to follow (wifi permitting). Another 16.5 miles completed today .. Total mileage now 145 miles and just 50 miles left over next three days. We have crossed the Vale of Mowbray today and are in Ingleby Cross on the edge of the North York Moors. A 20 mile roller-coaster walk tomorrow with over 3000ft of climbing to be negotiated. Gulp!

** Update posted on Thursday 17th July **

Tue 15th - Bolton on Swale to Ingleby Cross (Day 10)

16.5mls, 7.5hrs

Today's leg has been described as 'boring' because it is almost flat. We didn't find it boring by any means .. It's certainly flat but there was enough variety in the places we passed through to keep things interesting.

The b&b we stayed in overnight had fantastic views over Richmond and we had breakfast in the conservatory looking out over the town. Jill commented on how big the spoons were until she realised she had picked up a serving spoon when she got her cereal. We did check whether she had already started on the Whisky marmalade.

The packed lunches on this trip have been a bit hit and miss. One person's idea of what constitutes lunch is very different from another's. Our landlord Ralph was one of those who provided more than enough. For instance, mine consisted of a cheese roll, crisps, pork pie, banana, peach, biscuits, fruit drink and chocolate bar. He also gave us a bag of hard boiled eggs! :-)

After getting the coach to Bolton on Swale we visited the churchyard where Henry Jenkins is buried.. he was reputed to be 169 when he died.

The walking was a mixture of fields, country lanes and farmyards. My work colleague Mark would have liked one farmyard in particular .. the stile we had to climb over had model rats clambering around one fence post while the other was topped off with a skull!

It had been cool to begin with but as the day wore on it got warmer and warmer. It was a long day (almost 17 miles) and by the afternoon I was struggling again. We had been used to quiet roads and villages but a couple of miles before the end we arrived at a service station on a very busy dual carriageway.

My feet were very sore by this time and my legs were aching .. we stopped for a break but then had to cross the road (the last fast A road we cross on this walk). The traffic had been very busy while we rested but as we got to the side of the road there was a break in the traffic. We ran across and as luck would have it, a break in the traffic appeared on the other carriageway and we were able to run across there to the safety of the grass verge.

I think it must have been pure adrenaline that got us over the road because the tired legs and sore feet soon returned. However, in a mile or so the first group had reached their b&bfor the night and we made our way to ours, a mile further on. And what a welcome we received!

We were greeted by the couple who run the b&b with glasses of Prosecco and a chance to toast ourselves for another hard day completed. And after we had all showered and rested they cooked us a roast beef dinner with REAL Yorkshire pudding (huge ones the size of large teacups).

We all hope our feet and legs recover by tomorrow morning. We have to cover 20 miles and do over 3000 feet of climbing and will be setting off at 08:15am.

Wish us luck! :-D

Monday 14 July 2014

C2C Day 9

No wifi again so another quick update by email. 18.5 miles done today from Reeth to Bolton-on-Swale (further than planned because of footpath diversion due to road works on A1). More rain today .. not what forecast said. Walking a bit easier today as it was across rolling farmland but feet are still sore and legs ache from non-stop walking.

** I have WiFi this evening so can update last night's blog with what I wrote last night **

Mon 14th - Reeth to Bolton on Swale

18.5mls, 8.5hrs

A longer day than planned because of detour around a closed footpath due to roadworks on the A1. Feet very sore by the end of the day.

Good walking at the start as we carried on down the Swale. The pace at the front was too fast for me and I was soon left behind yet again. I hadn't slept well and wasn't that impressed with my room in Reeth. So I was grumpy about walking by myself, getting left behind and tired before the day started.

I lost count of the number of wicket gates, squeeze stiles and gates we had to negotiate. We crossed and re-crossed the river and made our way through field after field. One highlight was Applegarth where we walked below a limestone cliff.

We reached Richmond at lunch time and had a break of over an hour. I spent most of it sitting on a park bench resting my feet and legs. I made a quick visit to the nearby Co-op to buy some lucozade. Drinking it gave me a bit of a boost and after lunch I was able to keep up better.

We made our way out of Richmond and had to follow a long detour because of roadworks. This involved crossing busy A roads several times where the traffic was very fast moving. It was very dangerous and only the kindness of some drivers who slowed to let us cross meant that we weren't stuck there for longer than we were. Bolton on Swale was eventually reached but by then everybody was on autopilot.

A bus was laid on to bring us back to Richmond and the accomodation was slightly strange. A lockable door from the entrance hall took you into a small corridor with rooms on either side. I am in one room, with Jill and Judy sharing the other - and up a couple of steps is a shared bathroom.

Jill had not been feeling well so when we arrived she laid down for a sleep. She was still in bed at 7pm when we had agreed to go out and eat. So Judy and myself along with Eve and Rachelle who are also in the same b&b headed into town. Because we were all tired we made a beeline for the nearest pub called the Ship Inn. It didnt look that appealing from the outside and when we went inside we saw why. A dark, dingy room with a bar down one side. We asked if they did food .. And weren't surprised when they said no, just drinks. To be honest we were all a bit relieved.

We did find a nice alternative as there was an Italian restaurant nearby and so the four of us toasted each other with Peroni for another day completed and everyone still going (despite the ever-increasing amounts of blister plasters!)

C2C Day 8

No wifi again so having to email short update. We reached Reeth today; 110 miles completed; another 84 to go and the whole group of 12 of us is still going strong. A bit of rain first thing this morning but sunny and dry the rest of the day. Forecast is supposed to be good for these last five days. Bolton-On-Swale tomorrow (17ml) then Ingleby Cross (17ml), Blakey Ridge (20ml), Grosmont (15ml) and Robin Hoods Bay (15ml) on Friday.

Saturday 12 July 2014

Day 7 - Kirkby Stephen to Keld

Sat 12th - Kirkby Stephen to Keld

13 miles, 7 hrs

An easier day today but there was a long steep hill right from the start. I was struggling from the off and playing at being tail end Charlie. The rest waited for me about two-thirds of the way up but set off again as soon as I arrived! I got to the top not soon after the rest. At the top was Nine Standards Riggs, a collection of nine cairns, which was our lunch stop.

After lunch we made our way down towards Keld. The terrain was peat bogs but we were lucky that it has been dry lately (we have not seen any rain since walking through Ennerdale Forest on day two). So instead of boot sucking peat bog we had spongy grass with occasional squelchy bits.

On the way we passed Ravenseat Farm which is home of Amanda Owen and her husband. They do cream teas but she is better known as the author of "A Yorkshire Shepherdess". There was a chap sitting on the wall opposite who does metal detecting. I only found out after we had left that a few years ago he found a Roman helmet which sold at auction for £2 million.

The rest of the journey was uneventful ..just a gradual descent to Keld where we are staying tonight.

Cause for celebration tonight because we have reached the halfway point. And at Nine Standards we crossed over into Yorkshire. Tomorrow an easier 11 mile day down Swaledale before the mileages start increasing again.

Friday 11 July 2014

Day 6 - Shap to Kirkby Stephen

Another day on the coast to coast walk .. another 20 miles completed. We arrived in Kirkby Stephen this evening and the total mileage now stands at 84 miles.

Today was a real contrast to the first five days. Having left behind Lakeland and entered limestone country we were walking on heather moorland. The hills were less steep and covered in grass rather than rocks. On the way we saw stone circles, old Roman roads and dotted amongst the limestone, granite boulders left behind after the last ice age.

Thursday 10 July 2014

C2C Day 5

We have arrived in Shap after a long day when we walked for ten hours, covered 17 miles and did over 2500ft of ascent. Total mileage now stands at 64.5 miles so we have covered about one third of the route.

Feet are still okay .. No blisters. But after today legs are very tired. Our leader Chris says now we have managed to complete today's leg we should find the next few days a bit easier.

Update - Sat 12th

I found day 5 very hard work - it was warm and sunny and energy sapping. So I didn't have the energy to write more than the above. During the course of the day we left behind the lake district and entered limestone country. I found myself wishing I was two stone lighter .. Getting up the hills was hard and holding myself back down the steep descents was equally hard. I did stumble at one point. My legs were so tired I couldn't stop myself and ended up on my backside. The high points of the day were the fabulous views of lakeland and an honesty box we came across after climbing a high stile. The box is run by a local schoolboy and a cold can of drink has never tasted so good.

Wednesday 9 July 2014

Day 4 - Grasmere to Glennridding

Wed 9th - Grasmere to Glenridding

8.63ml, 6h 40m

I got bitten on the right shoulder by a horsefly yesterday and have a large lump just where my rucksack strap goes .. just what I need. I think I had the beginnings of a blister on my left foot after yesterday's walk so this morning I put on a Compeed to try and avoid any problems.

We needed to be walking by 9am so it was a quick turnaround after breakfast. I just made it after almost forgetting to pick up my packed lunch from reception! Another long slog, this time up Great Tongue to the top of Grisedale Hause then a small drop down to Grisedale Tarn (1800ft) where we stopped for lunch. After lunch we made our way down Grisedale into Patterdale.

I felt better today. The soreness in my quads has gone and I wasn't struggling or out of breath or sweating so much today. We took plenty of short breaks today and didn't try to rush the pace either uphill or downhill.

The group has really gelled well and there is a lot of support from the others if you are struggling for any reason. Ian was handing round jelly babies this afternoon and Jane had some humbugs she was sharing. Chris the leader has a portable stove with him and at Grisedale Tarn was making tea with his wife Sue. Sue also had the bright idea of soaking my small towel in the beck. The cold water made it really refreshing and I handed round the cold towel to everyone who wanted to use it.

We are now in Patterdale and I have stocked up on some jelly babies at the nearby shop as I seem to have been eating everyone else's! 47.5 miles done and Chris has already warned us tomorrow we are in for a long tough day as we are heading for Shap, 17 miles away over some big climbs (we will do 2500ft of ascent by the end of tomorrows walk). It looks like it may be raining by the afternoon so the plan is to set off at 08:15 to allow us to keep a steadier pace and hopefully, arrive in Shap before the rain does.


Tuesday 8 July 2014

C2C - update on day 1 and days 2 and 3

I had to post the previous blog from my phone as I didn't have any WiFi. We haven't had any WiFi or even any mobile signal for the last couple of days which is why it has been quiet on here without any postings.

On day 1 we started by following the tradition of dipping our boots in the sea and picking up a pebble to carry to Robin Hoods Bay. Then we had a group photo taken before setting off.

The Queens Arms where we ate last night was very noisy. A World cup match was on and a stag party group we're there getting sloshed. Our walk leader Chris says he is always glad to leave St. Bees as it always noisy. I was in eaves of Stonehouse Farm last night. Two other rooms were in close proximity so there were lots of noises off and creaking floorboards. I was woken by something at 4:45am .. took a while to get back to sleep. Slightly disorganised that morning as a result and was the last person out.

As you would expect with popular route like C2C others at Stonehouse Farm were out starting the walk today. We saw some of them when out today and most of us met again at Shepherds Rest that evening. The Shepherds Rest where we were staying did lovely meals and table was reserved for all of us.

Day 2 - Mon 7th

Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite
14.9ml, 9h 00m

08:30am start but breakfast not until 07:30am so all a bit of a rush and I was last one in for breakfast so had to wait. Brought my case downstairs and picked up my packed lunch while I was waiting. Stuff I rinsed through yesterday evening dried overnight which was good.

Been taught fell runners knot by Suzanne and used that today and it stayed tied up without any problem. Set off at 08:45am and followed roads to Ennerdale Water then we had 3mls of rocky path along lake including short scramble. Crossed river at end then 5mls of forest track to Black Sail Hut where we had lunch break. Rocky path to Loft Beck then rocky, steep ascent beside beck to top. Views back down Ennerdale Water from top. Crossed fell towards Drum House with views of Haystacks, Innonimate Tarn, Buttermere and Crummock Water .. with views of Scotland in distance. Steep rocky descent to Honister Slate Mine where we had tea and cake. Another rocky path down to Stonethwaite and very steep slope down through ferns. Final part of journey past youth hostel and road to Gillercombe bed and breakfast.

Landlady Rachel is a 'character'. Six of us staying - me, Chris, Sue, Liz, Rachelle, Eve. But only one bath so we had to shower in shifts .. some had a shower while others had tea and vice versa. Original planned pub did not work out as it is closed on Mondays so had to walk to next nearest one. Very noisy as it was packed with walkers. We saw same people today we saw yesterday and passed each other quite a few times.

Feet we're sore after today but still no blisters. Main problem is quads are sore after rocky ascents and descents today. Was stumbling quite a bit towards end - think that was due to tired legs. Will stretch tonight and put some Voltarol on.

08:15am start tomorrow as we six have to walk down to Knott's House where others at staying for 08:30 start.

Day 3 - Tue 8th

Rosthwaite to Grasmere
9ml, 7h 15m

Today was very hard work for me. My quads were still sore from the first two days walking. It was raining so the waterproofs were on. After a short walk on road we started climbing. The route went up Greenup Gill and we climbed to 600m. I was at the back of the group and out of breath and sweating with the effort. I was having to take small steps to stop my quad getting any worse than they were. When we reached the top we traversed the flat area and had lunch. There was a choice of following the valley down into Grasmere or doing a ridge walk. The rest of the group voted for the ridge walk so I had to tag along. By the time we had negotiated the rocky paths up and down the three small peaks on the ridge my legs were really tired and I had run out of water. The final descent down a rocky path was a real test for me and by the time we reached the outskirts of Grasmere I was just trudging along.

However, once I had reached the hotel, showered and changed and had a cold beer in my hand I was feeling better. The Red Lion has a laundry so two of the group (Suzanne and Jane) let me know and we shared the cost between us to do a load of washing. We had a laugh when we got the stuff out of the tumble dryer and took the bag back to their room to sort out our stuff. When I picked up my trousers Jane's bra was tangled up with the mesh of one of the pockets! :-)

39 miles done and tomorrow we head for Glenridding. This is just 8miles with a steady climb up to Grisedale Tarn and a steady descent into Patterdale. We have been warned that day 5 when we head from Glenridding to Shap is one of the toughest of the whole route.



C2C Day 1

15 miles done in warm and sunny weather - drank most of the 3 litres of water in my camelbak! 08:45am start and varied terrain .. cliff walk to start, then meadows, tracks, cycle tracks. First big hill of walk today - Dent (300m). Steep climb .. and even steeper descent. Arrived in Ennerdale Bridge around 4:45pm. Feet a bit sore and legs ache but NO BLISTERS :-) 08:30am start in the morning as we head up Ennerdale towards Rosthwaite which is our next stop tomorrow night.

Saturday 5 July 2014

Sat 5thJul - Day 0

Spent ages packing last night. It took a while to decide on exactly what to bring and what to leave behind. Had to think carefully about what could 'double up' and be used for walking and non-walking. By 10pm I had made my decisions - most of the stuff was in the case, some odds and ends were in the rucksack and my phones and other valuables were in my bumbag. And this morning, even if I had wanted to I didn't have time to reconsider - ready or not it was time to go!

I had a trouble free journey with no late or cancelled trains and the two connections I needed worked without a hitch. I had reserved seats to Birmingham and then Lancaster - on both of these trains the person next to me slept through most of the journey. The coastal train was unreserved seating and very busy. There wasn't much legroom and I ended up opposite a lady who didnt seem to be able to keep her feet still. I was just glad I was wearing my old walking boots to travel in! It saved me getting bruised toes :-) It was a relief when some people left the train and I was able to move and stretch out a bit.

Some great views of Lakeland as we made our way up the coast on the final stretch of the journey. Finally we reached St. Bees and once I had struggled off with my luggage, found myself at the front of a convoy of people with cases and rucksacks with walking poles poking out. As I checked the directions for the hotel I heard someone saying aloud what I was reading - turned out to be someone else on the same C2C walking holiday.

We had a welcome meeting earlier on. As it's the first day tomorrow there quite a bit of 'admin' to go through. And it was the first chance to meet my fellow C2C'ers who I will be walking with for the next two weeks. The lady who runs the b&b where we are all staying reserved us a table at the local pub and we have all just had a meal together. So that was a good way to start getting to know everyone.

The group is all ladies apart from the walk leader and one other guy. I was quite surprised as I expected it to be all couples. And they are from places as far away as Australia, Canada and the USA. To save time in the morning I have already packed my rucksack. All I will need to do is fill my camelbak with water and make my flask of coffee.

So .. tomorrow it all starts for real and judging by the conversation around the table earlier, I think we are all feeling the same. Excitement .. but a slight feeling of trepidation at the thought of what lies ahead and how we will all cope.

Thursday 3 July 2014

Photos from Avebury walk

As you might expect, I'm keen to try and take some photos on my C2C walk to remind me of the scenery we will have walked through. And much as I'd love to take my digital SLR with me, it's just not practical. So instead, I'll be taking my Fuji Finepix which is small enough and light enough to carry with me and have it easily available.

I've mentioned Cirencester Park a lot recently when writing about my training walks. And I also drove to Avebury one weekend for a walk on the Marlborough Downs. I promised to post some of the photos I've been taking so here they are ..

Avebury & Marlborough Downs

The walk near Avebury included part of the Ridgeway Path which I walked last year. Here's a nice shot of the path ..

.. and a bit further along, here's another one showing Barbury Castle ahead and Liddington Hill in the far distance (which is where the Ridgeway path continues on to as it heads East) ..
 
 
Once I had made my way onto the Marlborough Downs I was in 'horse country' and found a nice spot on the gallops for my lunch ..
 
 
Later on, as I was making my way through Fyfield Down, heading back towards Avebury I walked through an area where there are lots of sarsen stones left over from the ice age ..

 
Eventually I arrived back at The Ridgeway and saw this sign pointing the way back ..
 
And a bit further on, Avebury itself came back into view ..
 

 


Tuesday 1 July 2014

C2C - three days to go

Just three full days left now to get organised. But one more thing got ticked off the checklist tonight.

I am hoping by doing this walk I can raise some money for a great little charity called "Arts Together" whose work with older people I admire so I have set up a fund-raising page ..

https://localgiving.com/coasttocoast2014

My company have a "match funding" policy and will match donations pound for pound up to £200. In 2012 (Thames Path) and 2013 (Ridgeway Path) they were kind enough to match the money I raised so I'm hoping my application will be successful again this year. 

I'm finding things connected to the walk are popping into my head in a random manner. Knowing full well I'll never manage to remember them all, I've taken to jotting them down on a "don't forget" list. Or if I'm at home I'll grab whatever it is and pile it up with the rest of the stuff on top of my chest of draws.

Last night one of those random thoughts was when my credit card bill would be due? When I checked I discovered it is the day after I get back. To make life simpler I decided to pay it there and then so that I had one less thing to remember on my return. So I went online, checked the latest statement, switched over to my bank's website and transferred the money - all within a few minutes. Ahh, the joys of internet banking :-)

I had originally thought when packing I would need to fit everything into my large rucksack (a la Thames Path walk). But on reading the info from the walking company again, I found a holdall or soft-sided suitcase are the other alternatives suggested. The only proviso is a maximum weight of 20Kg. I would hope I won't be taking that much gear. But I'm the first to admit I'm not the world's best at packing and 'travelling light' is a concept I sometimes struggle with. Anyway, I am travelling up to St. Bees on the train and as Margaret rightly pointed out, a suitcase will be a lot easier to manoeuvre on and off the carriages (even if it is a bit heavier than it ought to be!)

Monday 30 June 2014

Can I post a blog entry by email?

If this appears in my blog okay then the answer is yes. Which means I will be able to post an update about the C2C walk if I have a phone signal but no wifi.

C2C - 5 days to go

The Coast To Coast (C2C) is approaching fast - just 5 days left now until I head north.

I forgot to mention a couple of things about my walk on Sun 15th Jul. After around 4 miles (as I was passing Cirencester Park Polo Club) I had to stop to check my left foot. It had started getting sore and removing my boot and socks I found the blister I hadn't wanted to find. I think it had probably started forming on the previous day when I did a 15ml walk on the Marlborough Downs. Obviously when you're out walking there's only so much can be done - I put on a compeed plaster and used a spare pair of socks to give my foot a bit more cushioning. That did the trick and I was able to do the rest of the walk.

And having mentioned the Polo Club, I'm used to having that part of the park to myself along with a handful of other walkers and runners. But the park was very busy with lots of cars arriving (and probably grumbling about a lone walker on the side of the road and getting in their way!). I found out later there was an important polo match taking place (sponsored by Maserati amongst others) and Princes William and Harry were playing, while Kate was there with Prince George. None of them were there when I walked by - they must have arrived a bit later!

Over the weekend of 21st/22nd July I managed another 28 miles over the two days (and no blisters this time). I was on call on Sat 21st so wasn't able to leave the house until 2:30pm. So I did a 'quick' 9ml walk, mostly in Cirencester Park. I say mostly because I would usually do a loop into and around the park. But the gates close at 5pm so Saturday's walk was into the park, then out via a track that leads down to Stratton on the outskirts of Cirencester, and I made my way home via the town centre.

On Sun 22nd I attempted my longest walk yet .. 19.5 miles. There was even more looping around the park than usual - partly to make up the mileage but also because there was another polo match on and this one seemed to be even more popular than the week before. No princes in evidence this time - but I can't help thinking the crowds had been attracted by the possibility of spotting some 'royals'. My feet were a bit tired by the time I had finished as I was out for 7-8 hours. But I was pleased as I had managed the maximum distance we will be expected to cover on the C2C without any problem (days 6 and 11 of the C2C are both 20 mile days)

This weekend I didn't walk on Saturday and yesterday I 'only' walked 15.5 mls. I set off at 8:30am to avoid the worst of the heat and followed my usual route of loops in and around Cirencester Park. No polo match this weekend so I had the place pretty much to myself again. Apart from a few runners I saw very few other people. One lady I stopped to chat to was from Australia and was heading for Sapperton and Daneway (to see the old canal tunnel) and then eventually to Stroud. She had a map and I pointed her in the right direction but to be honest, she was pretty blasé about getting lost. "This isn't the outback like back home" she said "I'll just stand and wait and someone is bound to come along and show me where to go".

So .. that's my last training walk done .. just the packing to do now.

I have a collection of scribbled reminders and notes on what I think I will need and a few "don't forget" items. I have also started to put to one side some of the kit and clothing I'll be using. It's time to put those notes and reminders into practise and decide on exactly what I'll take and get it packed. I'm trying to be organised and am starting on the packing now rather than leaving it to the last minute. The last thing I will need is a late night on Friday, frantically shoving things into a suitcase.

Thursday 19 June 2014

Coast To Coast - just over two weeks and counting

Last time I blogged (yes I know, it was a-g-e-s ago!!) I see I'd managed to hurt my back and the walking and running had ground to a halt. I was also still wearing in the new Hillmaster boots ..I'd been wearing them around the house and was thinking of trying them out on the treadmill. I'm pleased to say the back problem was short-term, the walking and running have resumed and I did decide to keep the Hillmaster boots after all.

During April and May I have managed to gradually build up my walking distance in preparation for the Coast To Coast (C2C) which is now just over two weeks away. In April I was managing 11 and 12 mile walks - by the end of May I was able to walk up to 14 miles. The reason for doing these long walks is that on the C2C there are a couple of 20 mile days to contend with. However, there are also lots of hills too :)

I'm lucky to have Cirencester Park close by but although it has some slopes, it is mostly flat. I needed to set myself a challenge so in May we had a weekend in Malvern. I decided to try walking the complete range of the Malvern Hills and back again - a round trip of 12 miles. I parked at the north end of the Malverns (below North Hill) and once I had managed to find the correct path up to the top of North Hill (1303ft), I set off towards Herefordshire Beacon (1109ft) which is at the southern end and is surrounded by British Camp, an iron-age hill fort. And on the way, if I saw a hill I headed up and over it. The highest point is Worcestershire Beacon (1394ft). I won't say it was easy - I was tired by the end of the day - but I was still walking and apart from tired legs and feet I was otherwise okay. You get some wonderful views on the hills - here are a couple of photos I took in 2012 to give you a flavour - the first from British Camp looking north towards Worcestershire Beacon - the second looking south back towards British Camp ..



Since the weekend in Malvern I have mainly walked in Cirencester Park and have built up my longest distance to 16 miles. Then last weekend I did what I christened the "double-whammy" weekend and walked on both days .. 15 miles on a route over the Marlborough Downs on Saturday, then a 14 mile walk in Cirencester Park on Sunday. I decided walking both days was the best way to simulate the daily walking I will be doing on the C2C. I took some more photos while I was out walking and will post another blog with the results.

Tuesday 8 April 2014

Slightly broken again

I've still not decided for definite whether to keep the Brasher Hillmaster boots I mentioned last time. I've gone past the 14-day refund period now but still have another couple of weeks to decide whether to keep them or go back and exchange them for a different pair. So for now, I've still limited myself to wearing them around the house and will use them on my treadmill to simulate walking outside (including walking uphill).

However, at the weekend I hurt my back and for the last day or so have been a lot less mobile than usual. Walking and running have ground to a halt again :-(

At the moment, standing up after a spell of sitting down can be a s-l-o-w process, as is getting in and out of the car after the drive to and from the office. But I'm doing plenty of stretching in the meantime and hoping it will just be a short-term problem. And the back problem was probably caused by that most extreme of activities - weeding.

I've hunted down a couple of books about stretching and keeping yourself supple. The books I bought with the best of intentions and never quite managed to put into practise! :-)

The only good news is that prior to hurting my back with my 'extreme weeding' I managed a 10ml walk on Saturday morning. It was a fairly flat 10mls with a few uphill and downhill slopes but its made me more confident I am giving myself a good base to build from ready for the C2C walk in July.

Monday 24 March 2014

Mended .. a long walk .. and the saga of the new boots

It's been a long while coming but I finally seem to be mended ..

Last Wednesday I had my last physio appointment. This was just to give Jayne my physio a chance to make sure I was still recovering okay and to give me a final check. When I last wrote in early Feb I had almost regained full flexibility of my left leg. A couple of weeks after that I was able to manage 15 degrees on both legs (the target I had been given) and since then I've been continuing to do the stretching and strengthening exercises Jayne gave me. In the last couple of weeks she had also introduced easy 10-15 min interval sessions for me to do on my treadmill (1 min brisk walk followed by 1 min slow jog). Last Wednesday Jayne got me to jog continuously for ten minutes and there were no after-effects. So she has given me the okay to start slowly building up the treadmill interval sessions and sent me on my way. The final message was that when I'm ready, I can do more running and less walking. And then when I am ready and have built up the time and distance, I can think of venturing outside and start pounding the pavements again. I have to say - it's been very frustrating to not be able to run for these last three months and I've seen other people out running as I've been driving around and have wished I could be there with them.

With my left calf feeling much better recently, I have been out walking with the local Rambler's groups. Just a flattish 6 mile walk with the Swindon Ramblers to begin with and that went okay. So a couple of weekends ago I went along to the Cirencester Ramblers and tried a longer 9 mile walk which had a few more hills. I'm happy to say that seemed to go well too though I did give myself a minor scare later on. After I had showered I was massaging my slightly achey feet (not used to the exercise!) and thought I could feel some swelling underneath the left foot. I thought it might be some knock-on effect from restarting running. But I got Jayne to check it over at last Wed's session and she reassured me it wasn't connected to the calf problem - it was just a minor issue with one of the tendons and she sorted it out there and then.

Boots! :-)

I knew it wouldn't be a five-minute job finding some new walking boots to (eventually) replace the current ones. I visited my local Cotswold Outdoor and after they measured my feet and I had tried on a number of different pairs, I plumped for these Meindl Toronto boots ..


I wore those around the house but after a week or so decided they weren't quite right for me. So I went back to Cotswold Outdoor. The guy helping me measured my feet again and scratched his head about the ones I had chosen (he couldn't work out why they had been suggested). So after another bout of trying on various boots we thought we had found an alternative in the shape of these Meindl Bhutan boots ..

However, after a couple of weeks of wearing these around the house I still wasn't 100% sure about them. And bearing in mind I am planning to use them for the 200 mile C2C walk in a few months time I took them back to Cotswold Outdoor and got my money refunded. 

My current boots are made by Brasher and I decided to try a new pair of that make. Yesterday I visited my nearest Blacks Outdoor but they didn't have the model/size in stock that I wanted. But I went to the nearby Millets and came away with these Brasher Hillmaster II boots ..


So another week or two of wearing boots at home is on the cards and I have my fingers crossed it will be third time lucky. These ones certainly seem to 'feel' like they suit my feet but time will tell.

Friday 7 February 2014

On The Mend (Take 3)

When this calf problem first started in mid-December, I never thought it would keep me from running for so long (7 weeks and counting). After so long without being able to head out of the house and run I am getting 'cabin fever'. I didn't realise how much I miss my running until I wasn't able to do it. And having been injured before, I know when I do go for a run I am going to have to start from scratch again. And to begin with, the 'run' will actually be a slow jog. Now then .. where did I leave my running shoes? Ahhhh .. here they are .. covered in a fine layer of dust.

At this weeks physio session there was another improvement in the angle that I can get my feet to when doing the 'point toes towards knees' exercise. At the time of the injury the left (injured) and right (okay) legs could only manage 4/10 degrees respectively. Jayne (my physio) described 10 degrees as the 'danger zone' when problems can begin to occur. After several weeks of treatment and lots of stretching by me, the figures this week were 14/15 degrees. The maximum I can probably expect to get to is 15 degrees on each foot so I know I am almost there and at next week's appointment, I'm hoping I can get the left leg to 15 degrees as well. When I asked about starting running again Jayne suggested I leave it another week or two. I'm happy to take her advice - I would rather wait before starting than trying too soon and causing any more problems.

In other news, I've treated myself to a copy of 'Fast Exercise' by Michael Mosley (author of the 'Fast Diet' aka. The 5:2 Diet). Fast exercise is about high-intensity interval training (HIT) and is proving to be an interesting read. It seems you can get as much benefit from short, high-intensity exercise as you can from the longer, less intense type. I was already familiar with the concept of 'interval training' - the club sessions sometimes involve hill intervals where we run uphill on Tetbury Road as fast as we can and recover as we jog back down and repeat that several times. This book seems to confirm the benefits of that sort of training. I'll suspend judgement on it until I've finished reading the book and have given it a go. But I know I need to kick-start myself into getting fitter (and losing weight) ready for the C2C walk in July and I hope this book will do the trick. I'm planning to use it as the basis for a daily/weekly routine to get myself fitter and improve my suppleness. The current problems with my calf were a wake-up call to show me how lack of stretching can lead to problems.

Wednesday 15 January 2014

On The Mend (Take 2)

So ..... I was obviously being a bit premature when I thought my calf/achilles problem had been sorted out by a three week rest and discovered it definitely wasn't. Since then I have managed to arrange some physiotherapy treatment and its doing the trick and I am on the mend.

It turns out the Achilles itself is fine - its the calf muscle that is the problem. I had my first appointment last Wednesday evening and Jayne (the physio) poked and prodded around to identify the problem area which was the base of the calf muscle. Jayne got me to lay on the couch with my legs out straight and point my toes towards my knees. The average person can get their foot to an angle of around 10-12 degrees. When I tried, my right (okay) leg got to 10 degrees but my left (injured) leg would only get to 4 degrees! :-( Jayne manipulated and massaged the calf muscle, seeking out the tender and sore areas where the knots were. Of which there were quite a few! I didn't yelp with pain but there were a few moments when I had to grimace and bite my tongue (and swore under my breath!).

Jayne gave me a stretching routine to do up to 5 times a day to loosen up my legs. It's all of the stretches I already do before a run but it turns out I wasn't doing them for long enough. They need to be held for at least 30 seconds. And there is one particular stretch I wasn't familiar with which targets the base of the calf muscle where the problem is.

I have been doing this stretching routine between 3 and 5 times a day for the last week and things definitely felt better to me. So I went back for my second appointment this afternoon to find out what the 'expert' thought. When I tried the 'point your toes' exercise again today the right leg got to 12 degrees .. and the injured left leg got to 10 degrees. Jayne was thrilled with the improvement! She massaged the calf again and didn't find so many sore spots this time (so less swearing going on!).

I have an additional exercise to add to the stretching which will help with strengthening the calf muscles. It's like the stretch where you stand on the bottom step on your toes and allow your heels to drop. The difference is you raise yourself up on your toes then over 5 seconds let your heels drop down slowly. I have to do 10 repetitions (or more if possible until it becomes slightly harder to do) and have to try and repeat this three times a day.

All being well, I'll be able to improve on the 12/10 degrees mark when I go back again next week.

Monday 6 January 2014

There again .. maybe not!

Hmmph!! - this is not what I thought I would be writing about today :-(

I managed to run 3 miles on Thursday evening without any problems - no tightness or soreness from my left achilles afterwards and things seemed to be going well. So I headed out again on Saturday morning thinking I would do 3 or 4 miles (I wasn't sure how unfit I would be after a three week layoff). As I reached the end of the first mile I felt a twinge from my left achilles and my heart sank. I tried to keep running a bit further but within 200yds the left achilles was too painful and sore for me to carry on. I turned round and hobbled home (walking was painful, let alone running or jogging).

So that's that then .. no more running for a few more weeks. Later on I'll get hold of my private health provider Axa to see if I can arrange some treatment with the physio I have used in the past.

Any lingering thoughts I had about still being ready for the Bath half-marathon have disappeared. In fact, over the weekend I sent an email cancelling my entry. The Bath Half was supposed to be a stepping stone to getting fit for the Coast To Coast walk in July. As things stand I may be able to run again in a month or two. But for the time being I think I'll forget about any thoughts of running and concentrate instead on building up my walking mileage.