Week 16 - a lighter week

Again somewhat thwarted by the weather - but 3 times up and down the road outside my home on Monday (which I've measured as exactly a mile each way) gave a good start followed by 7 miles up onto Winter Hill on Wednesday.
With no Cross Country on the Saturday, I joined a few friends for their Saturday morning run (see the the Feb 20 post on wfdbwgua blog for more). As you can see from the photos which I've blagged from the blog, plenty of snow so three and half hours out gave us only ten miles - but it was quite marvellous to be above the fog and clouds.

Anglezarke Amble, Feb 13th

Got there in good time (by my standards). Got my tallycard, dumped my holdall, tightened my shoelaces and headed outside with the clock showing two minutes to eight. There were still a few in the hall. To my surprise everyone had already been allowed to start. So had to navigate my way through the throngs of walkers for the first half mile or so. Eventually caught up with JtE somewhere near the start of the Chinese Gardens and then YJ, NLN and NicO just before Georges Lane.
With my renowned descending ability (lack of), thought it wise to push on a little towards the mast and NiCo duly passed me on the descent. Thought NLN was also there but apparently not. We regrouped on the road although YJ had yet to arrive.
Chatted with a very experienced hallenge walk/runner down from Northumberland enjoying the event. He was looking for 5hrs 40 so wondered if my target of five hours was a bit optimistic.
YJ had not got back to us, so continued to run with NicO and NLN. A mile or so from Darwen tower, I decided to oush on but whilst at the checkpoint taking refreshments, they arrived and zoomed off. Caught them up on the way to Slipper Rowe and got in and out of the checkpoint quickly with a cup of tea as well. They had just about caught up but I then decided it was time to push hard on the way up to Great Hill, slightly hampered as I now had to pass those who were on the shorter route, sometimes on narrow paths. White Coppice checkpoint seemed to take an age both in the clippering and the refreshments but I think it was wise to take in as much as possible. NicO and NLN had slipped to the checkpoint and skipped the refreshments to overtake me. They seemed to be miles away but I eventually caught up with them approaching Anglezarke Reservoir. Suggested we should blast it to get inside 5 hours but they were wise enough to know it wasn't on (I had an extra two minutes to play with). Didn't make it but quite happy with 5:05, especially as I still felt quite tired after my high mileage earlier in the week. With a bit slicker "transitions" at the refreshment points, I might have sneaked it.
No chances of taking any photos but it was a very fine day for the event, although there was one hairy descent between Belmont and Strawbury Duck on which no grip was possible due to the ice.
Big thanks to NicO and NLN for ensuring I didn't blow up - there were points in the first half where I could have pushed on but I know I would have paid for it later.

Week 15 - big mileage

Just two runs and a walk this week - but big ones. Tuesday saw me do what I'd intended to do the previous week, 21 miles taking in a fair chunk of the Anglezarke route. Out for 4hrs30 and fairly tired on the final return from Rivington but gave me chance to chat with Stuart of The Soul Twins (djs from Mr M's/Wigan Casino) as he walked his dog on one of the paths at Rivington. Followed this with East Lancs LDWA group walk on Wednesday, Fish Chips and Peas from the Bay Horse at Adlington, listed as 12 miles, some suggested nearer 14 but with not a great deal of climb. Nevertheless an enjoyable walk, finishing off with a pint in the Bay Horse, re-acquainting myself with a pub which we used to be semi-regulars at, many years ago. A highly recommended pub.
Saturday arrived and it was time for the Amble to give me 59 miles and 6750ft of ascent for the week.

Week 14 tidy up

Friday saw a shortish evening walk helping out a local scout group. Saturday had the cross-country at Leigh scheduled so I was already for that and contacted a clubmate to give him a lift. Eventually I found posted on another club's website that it had been postponed until the following week. Shame as I could have got out in the morning with the wfdbwgua crew and also I was already committed to the Amble next Saturday. Anyway I wasn't going to waste what was the best day weather-wise that we'd had for a while so got my Winter Hill/Belmont circuit in.
This meant 44 miles and 5800ft of climb achieved for the week, slightly up on schedule.

A new month, getting lighter

Now into week 14 of the training schedule and into February. If I don't get up too early, can have breakfast in the light and staying light in the afternoon until 5pm so longer walks can be considered. Oh and I'm getting lighter as well :-)
I'm still getting most of my mileage in through running at the moment but I've recently taken on creating online versions of some 20 mile walking routes. As they have not been updated for 15 years, someone will have to walk them to determine what has changed as far as car parking, bus routes, pubs/cafés or even paths themselves which occasionally get diverted. Why not me? Although it would be useful to do them accompanied - I'm sure I can find someone to help me.
Started this week on Tuesday with a long run. The plan was to do about 20 miles taking in parts of the Anglezarke Amble route. The weather was pretty atrocious. I was waiting for the rain to clear as promised so didn't set off till lunchtime. Somehow I managed a couple of wrong route choices around Belmont which added extra mileage and time so decided to adjust the route. My choice of route was limited due to the reservoir wall being rebuilt so ended up continuing to where I'd planned to get (Slipper Rowe), but 40 minutes late. Rather than come back via White Coppice, I chose to come back from Great Hill via Spittlers Edge and Georges Lane - bad choice - it may be a bit shorter but it was so waterlogged that I expect it took me as long, if not longer. So in the end I got my distance in, but in a much slower time than I had planned.
The snow came back on Wednesday evening, with the result that the roads were so dangerous that my table tennis match was called off. By Thursday morning though it looked fine to get a run in. Decided on the Belmont Route. Fine early on, then Burnt Edge posed problems - the thin layer of snow concealed glass-like ice. One I'd got past the north facing edge which sees no sun, it was okay but rather than continue down to Belmont I decided to turn round, head back down the mast road and then do another rep back up the mast road - speedier way of gaining both mileage and ascent (and with rarely any traffic).

January Complete and Looking Good

After achieving less than 70% of target in December, it was good to claw some back in January and significantly exceed target. Hopefully February will bring good results with its small increase in mileage and ascent but also 3 days less to complete. I probably need to get more walking in as 72% of mileage and 76% of ascent were from running.




Week 13 started off with a recce of leg 4 of the Pennine Bridleway Relay. A bit of double-checking gave a mile extra for 12 miles and an estimated 1300ft of ascent. My first track session for many months doesn't do much for mileage or for ascent but as I live on hill I do get a bit by running to and from the track. On Thursday I had my first attempt at running over Winter Hill to Belmont and back without snow and ice to battle with. This meant I could go a bit quicker, now setting a target of two hours which I almost made. The top end of the mast road still has about a foot of snow, so hopefully I can be quicker next time. Looking after the dog on Friday meant three miles to add from walking him up though the fields with more on Saturday. Finally Sunday saw a very enjoyable run in the Pennine Bridleway Relay so my leg plus return to the starting point, and a bit extra that I put in, meant I exceeded my week's target by a third and ascent by 25%.
January has been very challenging from a weather viewpoint. Hopefully things will get better as we head towards Spring.

Week 12 - Back on track

On Monday I finally completed my first Winter Hill - Belmont - Blue Lagoon - Winter Hill circuit (from home) since the heavy
snows had made the north slope of Winter Hill near enough impossible to make headway on. Even so. the final bit of the mast road still had about two foot of snow so it was easier to leave it and use the fell.
Wednesday saw me head over to Hollingworth Lake for 14 miles of Winter Wandering with the East Lancashire LDWA group. There was still quite a bit of snow as can be seen here.


The walk included a little bit of God's own county in which I had the pleasure of spending a few moments.


More photos and report at on the East Lancashire LDWA site

I knew I had to get a bit more mileage in before the Northern Cross Country Championships on Saturday so just did a couple of reps up to the Jolly Crofters and back on Friday. I'd measured the route beforehand to be exactly (well near enough) one mile each way and about 350ft of climb for ascent.
Hopefully that had not left me too tired for the Championships at Witton Park in Blackburn. The course designers had been very kind to me, ensuring that every lap had not one, but two good climbs of about 150ft and just for good measure the two "long" laps had an additional climb of over 100ft. My estimate is that the 11.5k had about 1500ft of ascent in it - good enough for a B Medium fell race! I started steady then managed to move through and generally held my place to finish strongly, only six minutes slower than the previous year's championship race. As the winner was 5 minutes slower, this was equivalent to about a 5 minute gain for me, especially when compared against last year's results for those around me.

The week totalled 37 miles and 6000ft which puts me on course to exceed the target as long as I have a reasonable final week of January, especially as this week as started with a 12 mile recce of the Pennine Bridleway leg for next Sunday and 6 miles road/track session tonight.

Week 11 - The Snow Goes On .. then finally starts to thaw

First run of the week was on Tuesday and do I could get the height gain I decided to have a go at my Belmont Loop. Burnt Edge was very challenging but at least a few more had trampled through the snow. The mast road was the better option rather than off road and even that was no longer used by vehicles from half way up. A bitter easterly wind had arrived which made it very cold on the top. down the ramp heading for the Wrights Arms, I had realised that an ascent of the north slope would be out of the question so turned right when the Bolton-Belmont Road was reached and returned via Scout Road. Very challenging but at least I'd got my 11 miles but with less climb - 1300ft.
Next attempt was Thursday. Again same outward route. The wind of Tuesday had gone but the visibility was poor. I'm used to having to avoid being run over by cyclists on Winter Hill (shame that they cant read the no cycling signs) but this time I'd stopped on Burnt Edge in an attempt to take some piccies, turned round and there was a skier hurtling down at me.
When I say attempted, for some reason my phone camera was in video mode - a bit difficult to tell in such an envronment. anyway i've edited what was filmed into something which will give you an idea over a few seconds:


Reached the mast, down to Belmont and up the Rivington Road before tuning onto the fell to climb back up to Winter Hill masts (the outward run on the Belmont Winter Hill Race route for those who know). About half way up, realised that it was no fun trying to clamber through the two foot deep snow - it really slows you down - and thought what if I fell and broke my leg - what's he chance of getting medical help quickly in such a desolate expanse. So decided to turn back down at return using the route I'd descended on (checkpoint 2 to 3 on the Full Winter Hill Race route). Just before I got back to the road, flying down the hillside comes my GP with his two dogs on a quick lunchbreak run! Well, I think he still holds the club marathon record so he's not a bad runner! Nice to have company back into Belmont, thanks Ian. Eventually home in well over three hours but at least I got an extra couple of miles and an extra 500ft of climb.
Friday - thaw at last.
Saturday - over to Blackpool for the Mid Lancs Cross Country. The thaw had meant it was now a muddy course with negligible climb.
Sunday had originally been planned to be the two Crosses Circuit which would have given me 25 miles, but the decision was made on Tuesday night to postpone until March on the grounds of Safety.
So, instead, a walk with Julie and the dog around Rivington before lunch in the Barn, and then walked back home via Georges Lane - still very icy in parts - to finish the week on 37 miles and 4100ft of ascent, near enough on target.

Week 10 - the weekend

Friday comprised of a couple local walks more for the distance, than height gain, followed by a short run on Saturday.
Sunday was to be the big one as far as mileage but was in doubt until the last minute. On Saturday afternoon it looked like I would give it a miss, getting to Tottington for 8.30 (and home later in the afternoon looked a challenge, never mind the walk. By the evening the forecast was showing +1 for 6am the following morning so decided it was on. At 8.30 I joined eight other intrepid walkers who were marshals or organisers for the Two Crosses Circuit, scheduled for the following Sunday.
The full walk is 25 miles, but because of the weather conditions, the decision was made to do the shorter variant of 18 miles. Apart from a bit of blizzard conditions at Affetside where the wind was picking up the snow, the first three hours went okay. Where the two routes diverge at about 7 miles, a discussion was made that we would have to impose a cut-off time to prevent anyone attempting the 25 miles who would be incapable of completing before dark. A nice lunchstop at Entwhistle Reservoir then on towards Bull Hill. This is where it got interesting. White Moss was fun, if enjoy your legs being two foot into the snow. The going was very tough, so a good speed was far from possible. Around Bull Hill and onto a very exposed Peel Tower before heading back to Tottington. The excursion had taken 7 hours with nobody causing the pace to drop - where it was possible the pace was brisk. It would normally (even at this time of year) take 5 hours.
A very exhilarating but demanding day, adding some 18 miles and 1700ft of ascent to give a week's total of 36 miles (exactly on target) and 3600ft of ascent (slightly below target but I'm on target for the month).

Here are some photos thanks to East Lancs LDWA.

Week 10 - A very snowy week

Rested on Monday after a decent run on Sunday then on Tuesday when had a foot of snowfall which didn't exactly make you want to get out. Wednesday morning and clear skies so I thought I do my Belmont route again. The first mile was much quicker as the new snow had made it much easier to run than the slippery ice that had formed by Sunday. Good grip for the studs. Went off up past Montcliffe Quarries GR SD660120 and onto the footpath where the going got a bit tougher as no-one had been there since the main snowfall and it was about 18 inches deep but still okay. On to the junction near Burnt Edge and the fun had begun. Drifting had cause 3 foot hurdles to be run through but still not bad as the weather was bright. Onto the path which is parallel-ish to the mast road, virgin snow, greyed over and driving sleet into your face so that visibility was rapidly reducing - a good job I'd run the route so many times before. Made it to the mast road : a snowplough had just gone down, so it was a good surface with just enough snow for grip. Onto the mast road with a few walkers going past. At the end I could see that nobody had been on the track to the Wrights Arms (San Marco?) so decided it would be wise to turn round once I'd looked at my watch to see I was 20 minutes slower than Sunday despite being 2 minutes quicker on the first mile. I suspect the climb up from Blue Lagoon would be very slow. So a nice quick blast back down the mast road along George's Lane and towards Austin's Farm where I decided I would get a bit extra in by doing some reps up the fields.
Below are a few shots from Tuesday morning 6 hours before the snow stopped coming down.