Running commentary
Due to internet problems updating the Blog was not possible for a few days last week so updating progress has been delayed. However, the training did continue with high mileages.
With three weeks to go to my Pennine Way challenge on 7th May saw a group outing on the section of the run from the A672 by the M62 to the B6105 near Colden. John Coope who will be supporting the team at the road crossings on this section was using the outing to check his route and timing and it also gave the quartet of runners, brother Ed, John Parker, Julie and myself a chance to familiarise ourselves with this part of the Way.
Having a car at all the road crossings enabled us to travel light and we made good progress as far as the A635, experiencing a little rain and increasing head winds. Julie must had known what was coming as she took the opportunity to leave us for the comfort of the car, having an outing on the Calderdale Relay race the following day.
As the three of us headed over Black Moss the rain increased and by Laddow Rocks above Colden Great Brook conditions had deteriorated and the combination of wind, wet rocks and coldness was slowing us down.
We dropped down to the reservoirs and across the valley to where the car was waiting on the B6105. We had covered 18 miles in a little over four and a half hours.
A fast six mile run the following day took my total for the week to 87.5 miles.
Thankfully, the Saturday outing had not set my progress back and following Sunday’s lively run Monday’s early morning 12.5 mile run was again encouragingly fast.
Tuesday morning saw me back at the baths for a few lengths followed by a 10 mile run later in the day.
Wednesdays have developed as a good day for a long mid-week run and so the next day saw me again out on the West Pennine Moors, starting at Rivington and following the previous Wednesday’s route via Healey Nab, White Coppice, Abbey Village and round the Roddleworth Reservoirs. At this point last week I had opted for the shorter return to Rivington but today felt that a trip to Darwen Tower was a good addition to the route even though I was beginning to tire.
At the Tower, now looking strange without the top that was removed by storms last year, I encountered Katy Thompson of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers who had read about my run in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. We ran together for a short while until our routes diverged.
The earlier tiredness had reduced and a good pace along the Belmont road took me to the Ramp and then over Winter Hill, Two Lads and down to Horwich via George’s Lanes and Gingham Brow. Unfortunately the rough descent off George’s Lane caught me out for the first time in a couple of years and the resulting tumble left me bruised and a little bloody. As falls go it was not a bad one but the abrasions to the left left leg would keep me from the baths the next day.
Back at Rivington the Garmin (GPS device) showed an average pace of just under 12 mins per mile marginally faster than last week but with the addition of Darwen Moor the pace was encouraging.
