Training Log Archive: Frostbite

Silly walk. Well I was walking funny by the end anyway.

Sandstone Trail Challenge, Whitchurch to Frodsham, 33 miles, 9:05. Something different to do anyway. I entered 2 years ago when the time limit was 12 hours-ish, but that was cancelled and this year the time limit was 10 hours-ish because they wanted to go home earlier. 12 hours would have been easy but 10 hours is a bit tight for a walker. I was definitely a walker, no intention of running any of it. If I had I would have literally died.

I've never done any of the route before so I carried a map and used it the whole way, even when there were lots of other people to follow just because I can't help myself. Funny, trail runners think that if you are looking at a map you must be lost, when in fact I am not lost because I am looking at a map. They are always trying to help.

Check points are roughly every 5 to 6 miles. Up to check point 1 I was stuck in a largish group of walkers going a little bit faster than I wanted to go but it was mostly easy walking - towpath and fields - and every so often there was a hold up for one of the zillions of kissing gates. After check point 1 I found myself leaving them behind and catching up with the slowest of the runners as we approached the first hills. From there to checkpoint 3 the field gradually thinned out and by checkpoint 4 I was on my own and didn't see anybody for about 10 miles.

On the last hill I overtook a runner who was really struggling and caught up with another one who was lost. He trailed me to the top of the hill and then overtook me going down into the town. That's fine, he needed the help.

I was a bit tired by the end but still walking strongly. My feet were a bit sore. I'd gone faster than intended but would have to slow down if I'm going to do anything longer.

The leading runners did under 5 hours. Duncan Harris was second in 4:48. I was 105th out of 144 finishers + 20 retirals. Not that it was a race.

C • Good effort! 4

Claro local, Plumpton Rocks. 3 courses of 1.5k, 1.7k, 1.4k done in 16, 21, 18. Great fun, and mostly good apart from the last part of the 2nd course where I lost a minute confused by crags and then after I had found that one I ran off up the wrong valley losing another minute. Other than that there may have been some poor route choices. There was a lot of up and down and I was knackered by the end. More undergrowth, nettles and bluebells, than in October.

Abbey. Fairly feeble. Slower pace than Tasha's half marathon.