19th August 2014, Trying to get fit

The Original Plan (Plan A) was to go out for an evening trot with the Cheshire Hash House Harriers but other stuff came up that meant I had to give the Hash a miss.

Plan B was dreamt up instead:

I’ve done this route before – it’s basically from Timperley to the outskirts of Warrington. The outward leg is along the The Transpennine Trail, whilst the return leg is along the Bridgewater Canal towpath obstacle course….a section of the towpath is being improved, something to do with SusTrans I think.

The Plan was to jog 5 minutes / walk 5 minutes, then as I got a bit tired, the walking bit would be extended to 10 minutes….and by the time I’d hit around 13/14 miles I would extend the walking bits to 15 minutes. In my defence, M’Lud, the walking bits were very strenuous – I walked as fast as I could.

The straight bits are along the TransPennine Trail:

So….18 miles with about 300ft of upness: 3hrs 41mins. And tired legs. Must try harder.

Little outings like this are good for the head, I’ll be doing them more often.

Saturday 22nd March 2014, A Hayfield Hobble

Tally-Ho!

Around 20 runners gathered at the Lantern Pike Inn in Little Hayfield on the western side of the Peak District on Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours of running. Their plan was to follow a trail of clumps of sawdust that had been carefully placed around an imaginative 8 mile running route that encompassed hills, cow fields and other cow things.

There was weather on Saturday, lots of weather. Especially around Little Hayfield. Some of this weather was wet, some of it was windy – some was even white and fluffy. All of it was cold.
Packs of runners set out from the pub at times suited to their running speed. Although the club calendar features a couple of races throughout the season it is not a competitive club and one-upmanship is discouraged.

The sawdust trail plunged down to a stream which ensured we all got wet feet within a minute of setting out. Oh well. We boys like playing in water.

5 minutes after setting out from the pub the wind strengthened and it started to rain. On a positive point, rain is good for washing mud off your otherwise pristine legs. But it was also cold. It didn’t rain ALL afternoon. Not quite.

When it wasn’t raining there were some good views:


The trail followed lots of up and downery, south across Birch Vale, up t’other side (just for the hell of it) then, this time heading north, back down to Thornsett. Through mud. Good job we boys like playing with mud.



Then there were tractors, loads of the buggers. Alan should have been there really:



I was hoping to catch the pack of runners that had set out before me but they were on form and their 50 minute advantage was too much for me to make up. On the other hand, the faster boys who had set out after me took well over an hour to catch me up. And then overtake me. Nowt new there then.

Billy

Here they come:

Eastwood, Blackshaw and Wells, all looking remarkably unmuddy. It wasn’t to last.

There they go:

 Hon Prez Park looking worryingly cheerful. And mud free.

Lantern Pike was the last substantial climb of the day, at around 1000ft ASL it offered pleasant views over Hayfield:

It pays to be one of the earlier finishers of a Tally-Ho! trail run, later finishers end up bathing in less than clean water:

 

It had been a cracking afternoon out in excellent company. The good food at the pub was the icing on the cake. Although there was no cake. Or icing.

This was the last proper trail of a good season. Oh well. Anyway, this is where we went:

 

8 miles which took me 2hrs 5mins of gentle trottery. And I didn’t lose trail once.

More pics here.

The Ides of March

A run into Manchester

I needed to get into Manchester to pick up a tube of specialist glue for a repair job I’m carrying out (replacing the ‘non-replaceable’ battery in a Garmin Forerunner GPS).

This little GPS is a cracking bit of kit but is spoiled by a designed-in limited life of around 4 years because of the sealed-in Lithium Ion battery. Fortunately I’m able to carry out such repairs – thus saving the not insignificant cost of a new GPS.

I also needed to get out to do some exercise so….two birds, one stone an’ all that, so I ran into Manchester. Rather than use the standard Curry Walk route along the Bridgewater Canal towpath all the way into Manchester I decided to add a significant amount of tarmac.

Manchester has some interesting sights:

 On Chester Road, Old Trafford

 Inside the remains of a demolished pub, Old Trafford

 

Dot Motorcycles, still running after all these years

St George’s, no longer a functioning church

Adjacent to Whitworth Street West

 

T’ Cut

The new, the newer and the renovated:

A Metrolink tram, Manchester Central (formerly G-Mex – but prior to that, er, Manchester Central Railway Station) and the Beetham Tower in the background.

Amazing what you see when you look up:



or when you look down:

  

River Medlock running under Oxford Road

The Lass o’ Gowrie, closed once again

Dunno

The Old Trafford Cycle Link, designed to frustrate cyclists. The gate is locked shut.

I probably covered around 12 miles altogether – 9 miles running into Manchester, the extra 3 miles were tagged on as I once again successfully got lost in Manchester.

Ho hum.

Tomorrow’s job: replace the battery in the Garmin.

All the photographs (apart from the Garmin GPS) were taken using my little Lumix DMC-SZ3.

Saturday 16th November 2013, Running around Ramsbottom

Twenty two members of The Cheshire Tally-Ho! Hare & Hounds Club and one invited guest runner gathered at the Lord Raglan, an establishment well-known for it's excellent Leyden Brewery. It was, of course, pure coincidence the Club had chosen this fine pub as a venue to run from.

The trail-layers shall remain nameless for fear of potential litigation, but both Blackshaw and Jocys had set off from the pub at 11am, armed with bags of sawdust, just for the hell of it.

Fast Blackshaw, one of the nameless trail-layers

The traditional trail length of 8 miles wasn't quite adhered to, although the additional 1.7 miles didn't seem to cause THAT much of a problem to those fine members of the club who take their fitness very seriously. Both of them.
And anyway, 9.7 miles is the new 8 miles.
It should be pointed out that the original route was around 11.5 miles, but fearing a lynching and possible excommunication, the nameless trail-layers (Blackshaw & Jocys) thought it prudent to shorten the route. Unfortunately this had the effect of adding around 3/4 mile of tarmac to an otherwise green(ish) trail. Tarmac does not go down well with the members of the Tally-Ho!

Just for Alan 

Anyroadup, the sawdust trail led north from the pub, over tarmac for around half a mile but then over more traditional boggy, slippery ground that the Club is more used to. Fallen leaves concealed a treacherously slimy surface that caused many a member to curse as they descended to the bottom of the Irwell Valley. Swearing was reported to have been heard.
The more alert members of the Club may have seen a steam locomotive running on the East Lancs Railway line that followed the valley bottom. Those that didn't really should pay more attention.

The East Lancs Railway – I wasn’t quick enough with my camera to catch the steam loco

Once past the railway the route started to climb. The busy A676 marked the beginning of another short section of tarmac – and civilisation. The residents of Ramsbottom had been forewarned and so they weren't surprised to see groups of well-disciplined runners all adhering the the Club's pack system. Oh well, next time....maybe.

Lancastrian Coos 

The route had so far been quiet, but crossing this busy road was more than a bit hairy. Unscathed, the runners sort of ran up a back street in Ramsbottom, religiously following the extremely well-laid trail. (Koff).

Then there were steps, loads of them. Up through a wood they went. Not as many steps as at trail from Sheldon, but steps. And steep 'uns at that. At the top of the steps Mark Taylor was seen to slow down, he had sensed the Shoulder of Mutton. Fortunately the rest of his pack dragged him past. Either that or he'd forgotten his money and nobody would stand him a pint.

The trail now went north along Moor Lane, a pleasant track that afforded excellent views over Ramsbottom and the eastern side of the Irwell Valley. Apart from that damned wind farm:

Hacking on Holcombe Moor 

 

After 1.5 miles of gentle ascent the trail turned west for around 500 yds and suddenly the ascent wasn't gentle any more. Our heroic runners ran up onto Holcombe Moor, famous for soldiers waving red flags and shooting at each other. Fortunately this was the day that had to stay at home with their mums so it was safe. Well it was safe if you weren't John Wilson. He reckoned he'd tripped and fallen, resulting in cuts and bruises. That's what he told me, and why should I disbelieve him? He's a decent bloke after all. Isn't he?
The next couple of miles were without doubt the best of the route, the running was excellent and the views wonderful. It would have been very easy to trip up and fall flat on your face through not looking where you put your feet. If you weren't careful you could end up with a nasty cut on your face and multiple lacerations to your hands, sustained as you tried to arrest your tumble. It's just so easily done.

Pilgrims Cross 

The trail turned south and followed good ground with not much mud or bog at all. It was in effect a ridge run, gently undulating and easy to trot along. The first point of interest was Pilgrim's Cross on White Hill, then over to Harcles Hill and eventually to Peel Tower where there were views over to Winter Hill, over Manchester – and even Shutlingsloe in the far distance.

Peel Tower

The initial descent from Peel Tower was easy enough, good paths and pleasant fields. And then there came Redisher Woods.

Benign-looking Redisher Woods….evilly steep and treacherously slippy

Reports of cursing and vulgarity were dismissed as being too far fetched, a bit of a steep descent was all in a day's running for these fine fellows. It was a mere hill after all. No members at all resorted to sliding down on their backsides, after all we're a Running Club, not a Sliding Club. Those finishing the run with muddy backsides probably just hadn't managed to wash their kit through from the last run.

A bit more tarmac took us past the Hare & Hounds where a beer festival was under way. Taylor M missed this fact. And the pub. He'd not brought his money anyway.

The route now followed part of the course of the Peel Walk towards Brooksbottom, just in time to see the East Lancs Railway vanish into a tunnel. A bridge took our gallant heroes back over the River Irwell and before long the trail was climbing once again, this time through slutchy mud, until....a bit more tarmac.

Dropping down to the River Irwell 

Soon after crossing the A56 / M66 the Lord Raglan came into view. The lights were on, it was a welcome sight. Before reaching the end of the run, an axe-man, a donkey and bloodthirsty barking dogs with big teeth and red eyes (They just wanted to play. Honest.) had to be encountered.

Another one for Alan. And a Tractor

After safely negotiating these final hazards there was the serious business of getting cleaned up and changed in order to not frighten the horses. Oh and to be able to enjoy a beer and dinner without smelling too much.

Vinny & Merciless on final approach. A crap photo, but the light was fading.

Big Ian leading the Medium Pack in

Vinny, Big Ian, Fast Whitworth, Even Faster Shipley, Merciless and Murray were amongst the first in. Compliments flowed: 'A good try', 'not as bad as Tintwistle' to quote just two. Praise indeed. Other comments cannot be repeated for fear of causing offence.
Eastwood's return to running fitness meant he hadn't much to complain about, other than the tarmac of course. Jenkinson had also been under the weather, a severe bout of Man Flu had slowed him down to the velocity of a speeding bullet. It's good to see such athletes powering through adversity.
A Wells came along as an invited guest runner. I think he enjoyed it. He enjoyed having his Dad buy him beer if nothing else.
The bathing facilities at the Lord Raglan weren't too brilliant. The tin bath was in the brewery – although it might as well have been outside in the car-park, it was adjacent to a large opened door. And the water wasn't too warm. Many members just made do with a quick wipe down rather than a proper bath.

Apres-run feet 

Apres-run drinkies 

The food in the pub was tasty enough: hotpot for the meat-eaters, something that looked very nice for Des. Apple crumble & custard for afters. There just wasn't enough of it.
There wasn't really enough to satisfy the appetites of 25 runners who had spent the last couple of hours charging around the Lancashire countryside. There were rumblings (stomachs) and grumblings (the runners). The beer was good though. We'll be fine at the next run – it's from the Crag at Wildboarclough.
 

Anyway, the route was just under 10  miles and there was around 1600ft of the uppity stuff. Here’s where we went: