Fellsman

The longest of my training races for this Summer's exploits, The Fellsman is a 61 mile horseshoe yomp across a mixture of stony Yorkshire paths and trackless boggy tussocks, mostly the latter. I have run this event before but this was my best outing, owing in no small part to the constant well humoured abuse from 5 friends from Dallam club (Stu, Deasey, Barnesy, Jarv and Mike, all helping on my BGR). I also ran much of the race with Simon who I'd run with last year and then bumped into along the route this year, although Edwin, another BGR helper who I saw at the start the night before, I didn't manage to see on the route. Although as usual I felt I'd like to have run more of the night section, overall it was a great race, with fine weather, and I always ran within myself so that I finished feeling fine and ran the 2 mile road section and the cheeky hill at the end into the finish. A PB of 18:35, being 2 hours better than previous efforts was a great reward. If I can keep that pace and always 'have something left' on my BGR I'll be over the moon. Fellsmantastic.

Two months left

After ignoring a cold either side of last weekend it seemed to catch up with me in the form of knackered pins after last weekend's recce: a run which would normally have caused no discernable soreness really tired me. So, some walking only for a few days but then some good runs in the latter part of the week. A weekly total of a mere 36 miles but otherwise all seems well. The Fellsman is next weekend which I'm really looking forward to; having been pulled off the course with all remaining contenders last year owing to conditions I would love to better my previous PB. The other thing to note is there are now exactly two months to go before my BGR, and I'm looking forward to that too!

Recce steady go

Great run out yesterday reccying leg 4, the part of the Round I know the least: I've never stood on some of those tops before. The weather was kind, producing a thaw for most of the snow, sun, excellent visibility and no rain. Parking at Honister, we took the quarry track and then Moses Trod to Wasdale before starting leg 4 itself. Route finding was easy, with just a few patches of deeper snow to negotiate but most of the route was good and runable. We only cut out Great Gable as there was a fair bit of snow blown into the rocks and the going would have been tricky and slow: we decided it was better to run round than risk an ankle mangling. I was pleased also to assess the timing of the leg: a 23 hour schedule allows 5:05 hours and we took around 4:30 with walking for a great deal. Obviously tiredness will take its toll at this stage of the game but still good to see how this leg pans out: it all helps you feel ready for the Big Day. Next training target: The Fellsman, 27 April.

Norfolk hill training

A week of hill training with Norfolk mountain rescue team has put some spring in the legs without a doubt .... well, a week's holiday anyway, which allowed me to put on a few more miles than usual and also run at all sorts of times of the day which is helpful as far as eating and digestion rhythms go and thus training of sorts. 75 days to go now as I write, and another recce on the Round this coming weekend

Miles this week, 71; long run 29

Miles for March, 157 running, 32 hiking