November 2012

[glaconman]

The High Striker
---------------

Today saw round two of the West Yorkshire cross country league at Nunroyd Park in Leeds. I've only ever done one county-standard cross country, about 2 and a half years ago. The Yorkshire and Humberside Champs. I got into the top 100 and was really pleased. But I do remember it stood out as being very, very hard.

A race is as hard as you make it, right? Well, yes and no. Cross country seems to be at the cross roads of road, track and fell racing. On off-season show-down. The standard is high. And at 10k it can be a long and painful death.

And even the old, overweight and out-of-sorts like myself, lingering at the back, mumbling about making up the numbers, seem to get sucked into the tempo of the race. Like some invisible force. Ensuring you go hard for the first two laps then hang-on grimly for the last two.

So there I was this afternoon, in bright Autumn sunshine, lumbering through the mud in the last kilometer like some wretched drunk. The shoes didn't help. A pair of old fell shoes that have seen countless visits to the pub but very few actual fell races. I have spikes but didn't take them. For whatever reason.

I staggered back to the car punch-drunk and dizzy with fatigue, GlaconGirl precariously balanced in my arms. Straight to McDonalds. Fries, burger, tea, coke, apple pie. Better. Then home. Shower. Better. Then a bath. Ahhh better still. Then feet up and a bottle of beer (Taylors Landlord followed by Saltaire Triple Chocolate). Bliss.

The race was dominated by Leeds AC and won by an international distance runner in imperious fashion. I saw him fleetingly coming the other way (we share the same physio if little else).

I don't care where I finished. The race absolutely destroyed me from head to toe. But I was a counter for my club and it was the focal point of a great day out for everybody.

I had vowed to just concentrate on easy-to-moderate mileage for the next few months. But that doesn't seem to be enough. I think it should be the backbone of any runners life. But periodically we also need to pick up the hammer, drop it as hard as we can and try and hit that bell.

I didn't hit any bells today. I don't think the puck rose more than a foot to be honest. But I had a bl**dy good go at it. And that's what this incredible sport is all about sometimes.

Now, where's me peanuts?

[marathondan]

But periodically we also need to pick up the hammer, drop it as hard as we can and try and hit that bell.

A good call to arms. We should all test ourselves once in a while, and not be afraid to fail. Many's the time I haven't entered a race because proper preparation for it didn't fit into my plan. Sometimes we should just go for it.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Good job, g'man. You are right - moderate mileage each week is the key but we also need that hit-out periodically. Keep at it!

[El Gordo]

Great post, and sounds like an effort well deserving of your Tim Taylor's. Look forward to hearing more.

[glaconman]

Thanks guys. I'm surprisingly ok in the legs this morning.

Some PICS if you're interested. A thousand words and all that ...

[Bierzo Baggie]

OK, put us out of our misery, just how fast are you? Not like it's important or anything...
Well done, sounds like a very impressive standard of running. I bet the average age of the runners is a lot lower for cross country than for fell running.
Was up in Sheffield this summer and I met up with my cousin from Oxenhope btw. Enjoyed some of his homemade Oxenhope sloe gin. Very nice. Will make it up there one of these days..

[Sweder]

Terrific stuff, G-man. You look like you're enjoying yourself, no matter how heavy the battering on those legs.

Many of the Parkrunners also hit the CC trail. They're all fit as a butcher's dog. They speak of the severity of these affairs in hushed tones, as if they're ashamed of taking pleasure from the muddy fray. It's a love-hate situation. We all know how thin that line can be, especially in running.

[glaconman]

BB: the standard in the race was impressive. But it was still a relatively long tail and I was well down. I think you're right. Fell running has a particularly mature demographic. Having said that amateur running in general seems to be most popular amongst 40+ in this country. I'm on the road back to fitness. As ever.

I know a few people in theses parts who make sloe gin. The bilberrys are also good for foraging amongst the heather. And elderflower is also plentyful.

Sweder: mrs G keeps threatening to take me to a PR. I think Lister Park Bradford is our nearest and is a great place with lots going on. I seem to remember printing out the barcode a couple of years ago but nought came of it.

[glaconman]

A couple of good runs during the week. A nine miler on Tuesday evening taking in some long climbs up and around the hills overlooking Keighley. Then a 10 miler this morning snaking around the fields, moors and woods between Shipley and Menston.

I can feel some fitness creeping back. The speed of recovery after a climb is often a good way to measure this.

But some niggles down my right side mean it's possibly time to step back a little. I need to stay in the game; regardless of how slow my progress is.

Thankfully my rollers arrived yesterday so it's time to work in some interval sessions on the bike to take some pressure off this fragile body.

What I really need is a target race. Something around the run up to Christmas would be good; between 7-10 miles and off road would fit the bill.

[glaconman]

Today saw a 3 mile cross country race in Cliffe Castle park. They're abit like park runs but organised by a local chap and cross country terrain. I was 2.5 minutes down on my fastest time from last year. But Friday night is when we traditionally go out have a few beers and a naughty supper such a curry or pie and peas. So just getting a race in at 10 am is some sort of achievement. Junior Glaconman joined me for the race and it was great to see him putting in such a long run at his age.

The rollers are up and installed in the basement but might take a bit of getting used to. I think a hand rail on the wall might be a wise addition to the setup.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

How old is G'man Jr? Presumably if he's old enough to run 3m, he'll be helping you make the sloe gin too?

[glaconman]

How old is G'man Jr? Presumably if he's old enough to run 3m, he'll be helping you make the sloe gin too?

Hey mate.

GlaconBoy is 8 and has really taken to running. He hasn't finished out of the top 2 in all the, 15 or so, races he's contested this year. He's abit of an inspiration actually. GlaconGirl is almost 3 and looks even more determined on her day.

So no excuses for not running. I just need to make sure I can keep myself in working order. I'm well oiled at least

He who dares. Gins.

[glaconman]

WYXC - Race 3 - Fartown, Huddersfield
-------------------------------------

Yes, I seem to remember a few smirks as a child when this place was mentioned.

The morning of a race is almost as enjoyable as it gets with cross-country I think. Cleaning spikes, packing bags, planning routes etc. All done in between household chores, cooking and helping out with jigsaws. I really like the anticipation and build-up.

By the middle of lap 3 I distinctly remember thinking: what a f*cking ridiculous sport this is. The pain and the inadequacy. This filthy, senseless procession.

Then after a quick shower and a cup of tea I'm sat in my car chomping on cold pizza and grinning from ear-to-ear. Amazing how the emotional topology of race-day unfolds. (See how I managed to avoid the 'l' word which I find almost as irritating as the 'j' word these days.)

My only regret today was not having the time to pop into The Slubbers (One of EG's favorite boozers) for a quick pint on my way home.

From a running point-of-view it was a pretty good day though. Still frustratingly fat and sluggish through the absurd amount of mud on the course. But I finished slightly higher and didn't feel quite so ruined afterwards.

Slow progress is what we're after. Staying in the game and going in the right direction is all I ask.

MUDFEST

[Bierzo Baggie]

This filthy, senseless procession.

Like it...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Well at least it gets you out in the open air. I mean, a bloke can't just sit about, can he? And somehow, for some reason, it does sound rather less insane than faffing about on concrete and tarmac.

[El Gordo]

WYXC - Race 3 - Fartown, Huddersfield
-------------------------------------

Yes, I seem to remember a few smirks as a child when this place was mentioned.

The morning of a race is almost as enjoyable as it gets with cross-country I think. Cleaning spikes, packing bags, planning routes etc. All done in between household chores, cooking and helping out with jigsaws. I really like the anticipation and build-up.

By the middle of lap 3 I distinctly remember thinking: what a f*cking ridiculous sport this is. The pain and the inadequacy. This filthy, senseless procession.

Then after a quick shower and a cup of tea I'm sat in my car chomping on cold pizza and grinning from ear-to-ear. Amazing how the emotional topology of race-day unfolds. (See how I managed to avoid the 'l' word which I find almost as irritating as the 'j' word these days.)

My only regret today was not having the time to pop into The Slubbers (One of EG's favorite boozers) for a quick pint on my way home.

From a running point-of-view it was a pretty good day though. Still frustratingly fat and sluggish through the absurd amount of mud on the course. But I finished slightly higher and didn't feel quite so ruined afterwards.

Slow progress is what we're after. Staying in the game and going in the right direction is all I ask.

MUDFEST

Sometimes words jump out of a post. A little research tells me of a missed opportunity

But yes, Fartown. Previously famous as the home of Huddersfield Rugby League Club, before they graduated to the space age McAlpine Stadium, or whatever it is called these days.

Well done on the run, though I fear I will be lying awake tonight, wondering what the unspoken I and J words would have been. I'll figure it out eventually.

------
   
Added -- Great video too. It was like a scene from the great Kes.

[glaconman]

I was referring to the 'L' word (Landscape, which I managed to avoid by using topology) which irritates me as much as 'Journey' these days. Some words just get recomissioned then overused.

But yes. A huge missed opportunity re: The Slubbers. I'm going to try and weave it into an outing that way to make up for my crime.

Not a great course. And being in a school grounds did give it a Kes feel. The next is in quite a nice park I think.

[El Gordo]

I was referring to the 'L' word (Landscape, which I managed to avoid by using topology) which irritates me as much as 'Journey' these days. Some words just get recomissioned then overused.

But yes. A huge missed opportunity re: The Slubbers. I'm going to try and weave it into an outing that way to make up for my crime.

Not a great course. And being in a school grounds did give it a Kes feel. The next is in quite a nice park I think.

Ah, it was an L? I fear I would have been thinking about it into eternity then as I had that wrong.

I don't have a great problem with 'landscape' but I can wholeheartedly agree on the 'journey' thing. I suspect most of us have used it here and there through race reports over the years but it's now been done to death.

As for the missed opportunity, actually the link explains the (jokey) missed opportunity I was referring to. Terrible confession: after 2 happy months without alcohol, I'm struggling to feel that enthusiastic about The Slubbers, or any other drinking establishment. Mind you, it's still early morning, so perhaps the mindset isn't right.

I just watched the video again, and had another wave of nostalgia -- for running and for the north. I love race videos like this.

One day, we should really have (what Sweder calls) a "Down Your Way" excursion to your manor. Almost certainly a pipedream as it's enough of a struggle to pull my togs on to go for a jog (which incidentally was the J word I thought you were objecting to) down the hill to the lake. But a man can dream.

Back to work.

But thanks again for another brain-prodding post.

[glaconman]

It was almost as though the more you tried to make it look like a hyperlink the less likely I was to follow it.

Agreed. The South Pennines and Dales are a runners paradise with great races all year round. Although in summer things really do come thick and fast.

As you say though, first things first. Let's get you back on track with some running. Although you seem to be doing everything that could be reasonably asked of you. And more.

[glaconman]

BTW I think the video must have been shot by somebody at Holmfirth because of the concentration on yellow vested runners. No doubt you're familiar with that settlement. A very fine athletic club as well with a long history.