Tuesday 26 April 2011

Recycled and Shining Cliff Fell Race


Thorpe Cloud and the Stepping Stones

Four years ago, on the 23rd of April we picked  up a 10 month old, black and white whirlwind, from Just For Dogs . With him being an unwanted stray we decided to call the 'whirlwind' Billy, as in Billy no mates.

To celebrate his Billy-day all three of us headed up to Dovedale.

Bloody graffiti artists. Is nowhere safe from their etchings and lithographs? 



It turned out to be an open air art exhibition with pictures placed in the landscape that inspired them. 


Unimpressed by his brush with culture, Billy enjoyed himself all the same. A river and a stick, who needs art.



Sunday I managed to squeeze in a local race. The Shining Cliff Woods Fell Race. Organised by David Denton, this six and a half mile(10k) two lap race is unusual  in that it heads off downhill first.

The Bear Inn & Hotel(space for compass bearing/bear inn pun..........) at Alderwasley, kindly allowed us scruffy fell runners to use it as race HQ. A field to park in and a pub that serves good food and real ale, cool! I didn't have time for a pint but have eaten there before and can recommend the food and drink.

After a separate shorter race for the kids, we  headed off down the side of the Derwent Valley. All went well until near the finish. Three of us Bill, Steve and myself  were trotting along together when someone said "shall we make it a race? "The mad dash for 71st place was on.

If you have ever seen the film Chariots of Fire the one with slo mo shots and jangly, atmospheric Vangelis soundtrack. Well!.... it was nothing at all like that.  I made I right fool of myself with comedy running, gurning, and wheezing, I finally got to the finish,  started dry retching and almost hurled.

 Not the done thing when the winner Joshua Bull, had already finished 20 minutes earlier. Good fun though ;)

Many thanks to David Denton and all those who helped out.










Saturday 16 April 2011

Technical training



No gnarly stuff  on our regular runs, this sandstone bank is the nearest thing to anything technical.
No problem though with a bit of imagination things can be spiced up.

Billy enjoys it too.


Monday 11 April 2011

80% of all accidents

Heading to the start line

 The 30th anniversary of the Kinder Downfall Fell Race.  

 A week before this race I had pulled my back, changing the sheets on our bed. Doh! A day later the pain had spread into my groin. 'Bloody housework'  Thinking that I would miss one of my favourite races, I was not a happy bunny. By Friday things were looking better and after checking with my GP, it was back on. The doctor (a hillwalker who had completed the Welsh 3000 challenge) said to do a test run before and see how it goes. Thanks Doc.

Sunday morning, sunshine and blue skies. The drive out from the burbs to the High Peak was a pleasure the scenery changed from rolling pasture with hedgerows to the White Peak's limestone, drystone walls and finally the Dark Peaks upland moors and gritstone.


Still smiling

Starting from the lovely town of Hayfield, the race is a strait forward 1900ft slog up William Clough to the Kinder plateaux. along and back down. Just under Ten miles,  it's a cracking race.
I was just glad to be out there running, in fact I must have been enjoying it too much and should have pushed harder as it took me 7 minutes longer than last year.

The paparazzi 

The last climb, From William Clough up onto the Kinder Plateaux. 

Dark Peak runner and friend Steve, enjoying the sunshine

Does my bum-bag look big in this?


Back to Hayfield Scout Hut,
For a nice cuppa tea

Thanks to all involved in making this race such a great event. Happy anniversary Kinder downfall.
See ya next year.




















Saturday 9 April 2011

BeauTTiful



If you have to ask why,  you wouldn't understand.

The paradox of two weeks in June, that are the Isle of Man TT Races.

 Its hard to write anything about the TT without using the same old clichés or sounding pretentious. I failed in the first sentence. The TT polarises opinions and encourages superlatives but one thing it can't be called, is bland.

 Its even got a mountain section. Brap brrrap!