Just a quick update to remind myself what has been going on over the last month or so. I remain committed to the same approach: sporadic training but a healthy amount of races and commuting on the bike. And it's a formula that seems to be keeping me ticking over nicely.
I don't expect the training sessions to be of much interest. Runs in the woods at lunchtime with effort on some of the ups. The odd club sprint session. The odd interval session around the cricket pitch.
The commuting usually happens 2 or 3 times a week. A 28 mile round trip almost all of which is canal and track. Made better by the fact I've recommissioned my old Audax with nobbles for the dry weather to go alongside the 29er for in the wet.
Here are the races.
East Morton Hill Climb - Thur 25th June.
Guess your time. Run up a big hill. Or cycle. Run down. Or cycle. Have a pint. Eat alot of chilli. Sleep well. When the weather is good this is a favorite event of ours. Something for everybody. Plus I seem to enjoy uphill only races.
Murder Mile Silsden - Thur 2nd July
More uphill effort over the pure distance of a mile. And it was steep. I ran up or down this course 6 times on the evening. Parked at the top. Ran down to registration. Ran up slowly to warm up. Ran down to the start. Raced up. Ran down to pick up jackets. Ran up to pick up van. I didn't really think it through but neither did it do me any harm.
Heptonstall Festival Fell Race
This settlement has an iconic aspect within the South Pennines. Google - Images - Heptonstall probably paints a better picture than I ever could. There are plenty of literary and historic stories floating around these enthralling streets. Plus my Grandma lived here at one point, just above the ruined church.
The start, on the cobbled main street, is very atmospheric. Similar to The Yorkshireman that starts on the historic high street in Haworth. And the race itself is quite brutal. Most of the 6 mile course is spent going up or down steep paths and pack-horse trails. With a middle loop on the open moor. The final climb is a shocker.Good training though.
This picture expertly cuts me out of the side. Which is probably just as well.
![[Image: Heptonstal-Fell-Race-Start-2015.jpg]](http://www.cvfr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Heptonstal-Fell-Race-Start-2015.jpg)
Leeds 10k - Sun 12th July
Another corporate team entry. This time a relatively fast and flat 10k through the streets of Leeds. Free tea and pastries in the Town Hall made for a nice start and finish to the race. Plus there was the novelty of running with thousands of other people. Certainly made a difference to 50 people and a few sheep in a field. Getting up at 6 to manage the journey, parking and photos before the early start was abit harsh.
37:53 just for the record. A few years ago I would have set off harder and hung on desperately. This was a classier run but I'm loosing abit of steel. Some guts perhaps. C'est la vie.
Oxenhope Gala Fell Race - Sat 18th July
Normal service is resumed. The sound of the brass band playing mournfully, as we scampered out of the gala field, past the steam railway and up the aptly named Dark Lane, was the icing on the cake. I've done this race four times now but I always take a wrong turn at some point. Dashing through people's back gardens and negotiating hanging washing with a mild hangover is part of the experience. And long may it continue.
