More training and races!

I'm writing this whilst sipping a post race mug of milky hot chocolate...mmm!

Last Wednesday Andrew ran round the Stirton Fell Race (Keighley & Craven) with me because he had a tight calf and didn't want to race.  I was expecting heavy legs and a slow effort but was rewarded with a great run feeling stronger and faster than in any other race this year, and having Andrew with me meant I didn't have to worry about getting lost; he knew the route!  The race was about 5.5 miles, 1200 feet climb.

We had a weekend in Devon with family but managed a session of hill reps on Saturday.  We did 6 climbs of about 400 feet taking just over 9 minutes each.  These climbs are a killer starting with a fairly shallow ascent but ramping up with a long set of rough steps near the top and a final grassy climb.

Monday evening involved a tempo run from home through the golf course, over to Bolton Bridge and along the back road below the Beacon. 

Last night it was pouring with rain and I'd had a rubbish day at work.  Instead of training we watched Sleepless in Seattle and had crisps, dips, soup and a couple of drinks.  It was a lovely relaxing evening.

This evening we drove over to Widdop for the Widdop Fell Race, organised by Calder Valley Fell Runners.  It was a bit far from home for an evening race and we only just made the start.  We encountered tussocks, bogs and mud galore and had a great run.  My legs seemed to be on strike for the first half an hour but they woke up eventually and I was able to push on a bit.  The mud was thoroughly stuck on; I couldn't get all of it off in the river even by scrubbing my legs with grasses!

Well it's time for sleep now.  I'm looking forward to the BOFRA cross country race at Gargrave tomorrow :)