Busy Bank Holiday

A bright & sunny Bank Holiday brought lots of people to Ilkley. After spending most of the day gardening, I headed off for a run late afternoon. I just set off running today without any plan of where I was going to go. Even though I'm not one for following schedules, this is unusual, even for me. I normally decide where I'm going before leaving the house.

I started off running through the park, but it was a bit busy with the holiday crowds, so I cut through to Leeds Road before crossing the bridge near Denton. I didn't really fancy a hilly run after yesterday's trail race, but somehow I found myself running up Carters Lane. From the top I went along to Middleton Grange & joined the bridlepath that joins the top of Owler Park Road. From here I new that there were several footpaths that go towards Nesfield, but I managed to find one that I'd never been on before.

After crossing a field I got to a very steep wooded valley, not really sure what had happened to the path. After a bit of scrambling through the undergrowth I eventually found a proper path which led to the road near the top of the hill in Nesfield. I returned to Ilkley along the road & finished with a lap around the park. By now a lot of the day trippers had already left.

In total I ran about 13.5k at a very sedate pace. It was quite an enjoyable run, but next time I think that I'll choose a different route from Middleton to Nesfield.

Ilkley Trail race

(Thanks to Terry Lonergan for the photo)

The route of the Ilkley Trail race is great for just going out for a run, but it's a tough course for a race. Having run this race the previous 2 years, I knew that it wasn't really my kind of race: long uphill to start with, tough moorland section in the middle & a fast descent to finish, almost 11.5k. Fortunately this year it was quite dry underfoot, despite yeaterday's rain.

I felt fine going up the hill, but was overtaken by several people on the moorland section, which was hard going into the strong wind. Once we got on to the short road section before the downhill, I seemed to get my energy back, maybe it was just the effects of having tarmac under my feet. I managed to get back passed a few people on the descent, having struggled on that section last year.

My finishing time was 50.14, which was about 3 1/2 minutes faster than I did last year & 36th position compared to 79th. I was second in the M55 category, beaten by Nick P who is much more at home on this kind of terrain than I am. Overall it was a reasonable run, although it is a bit frustrating to be relatively much slower than I am on the roads.

A few days easy running

On Thursday & Friday I ran the two bridges run from Ilkley to Addingham & back both days. This tends to be my 'default' run that I do when I don't feel particularly inspired to run anywhere else & I want to do an easy/steady run. So 11.5k each day at an easy pace.

Today I thought that I should run somewhere different, but with the Ilkley Trail race tomorrow I didn't want to do anything too demanding. I opted for a hilly run around Ilkley & Middleton, just over 11.5k. Again my pace was quite slow, but it didn't make sense to try to run quickly.

The Ilkley Trail race is a very enjoyable route which I often use in training, but I'm not particularly suited to racing over the hilly off road terrain. I'm even worse at running quickly down steep hills than I am at running up steep hills. So my intention is really to use it as a fast training run, rather than with any expectations of doing well in the race. Normally I'd reduce the distance that I run in the week before a race, but I've done the opposite this week, clocking close to 100km, so I'm getting plenty of excuses in. There are more important races to come in the next few weeks.

Carnegie track session

This evening's 'official' track session was cancelled, but as we didn't hear about the cancellation until we arrived at the track we decided to go ahead with one anyway. We had a good evenly matched group of 4 of us taking part: Richard R, Josie H & Mark I, with Terry L acting as timekeeper.

The session was 4X1 mile with 4 minute jog recoveries. Given that we were all running at the same speed, we alternated the pace making which certainly helped with motivation. The time for each of the reps was: 5:41, 5:41, 5:44 & 5:42 so very consistent, marginally slower than my 5k race pace, so probably just what was required.

It was really good to be back running on the track after several missed weeks due to clashes with midweek races. I think that I really benefit from running regular track sessions & that much of my improvement this year is a result of the work done on the track.

Club run on the moors

This evening I ran with the Ilkley Harriers club run. We had a really good mixed ability group & headed up on the moors. I haven't done a Tuesday club run for a few weeks, so it was really good to have a pleasant run & a great chat.

Initially heading along the Dalesway path, we then headed up towards Addingham Moorside & near to Windgate Nick, before heading along the ridge to the trig point. This route would normally be quite muddy, but given that we've had very little rain for several weeks it was easily runnable today.We returned to Ilkley via Keighley Road, with an off road detour where the true fell runners were able to show off their descending skills....I was steadily bringing up the rear of the group at this point.

We ran just over 13k, plus a bit more for me running to & from home. It was a very enjoyable run, with plenty of opportunity for running chat. Tomorrow's track session will be different!

Some like it hot

It's been quite warm the last few days, up to about 28 degrees. Yesterday I went for another longish run, following Saturday's long run on the hills. I went out along the Nesfield Road to Bolton Bridge & back, with a bit of a loop around the park. In all I ran 17k at a very slow pace: combined effects of two races during the week, after effects of a cold & previous days run.

Today's run wasn't much quicker, about 5:25 minutes per km pace.....very slow for a flattish road run. I ran my regular two bridges route, about 11.5k. Not too worried about the slow pace, it's more an opportunity to take it easy without taking too much of a break from running.

Wednesday should be back on the track at Carnegie for the first time in about a month having had a layoff for the John Carr series & Harrogate league races.

Back to running slowly

Two races in two days & the remains of a bad cold mean I need some active recovery. Today I headed for the hills on the hottest day of the year so far. My route took me up through Middleton Woods, then on to concrete square, before heading up to Round Hill.

There were great views all around from Round Hill, with perfect visibility. Normally it's pretty boggy up there, but today it was bone dry as we've had very little rain for a couple of months now. I then went along to Beamsley Beacon, before descending down to the Langbar Road & back to concrete square.

Once back down in Ilkley, there were hordes of people in & around the river & the park, quite a contrast from the solitude up the hill. In all I ran 19.5k. My pace was well over 7 minutes per km, which doesn't mean a lot given the terrain, but it was quite a contrast to the 3:32 pace that I was running on Wednesday.

My next race will be the Ilkley Trail race a week tomorrow, which covers part of the route that I did today. I can't run quickly in that kind of race, so I'll be using it mainly as training for races to come.

Harrogate League race 2 - Temple Newsam

(photo: Paul Wood)

Temple Newsam is a terrific venue for a race with acres of scenic parkland & we had warm sunny weather. There are downsides: it's very hilly & most of the running is off road. My plan for the race was to take it fairly steady as it was only 24 hours since my last race & I was still feeling the effects of a cold & chest infection.

The race set off fairly quickly down a steep tarmac section, but after about 500m was on to the dry dusty tracks & the first long hill wasn't far away. I settled into a steady rhythm as well as I could, a few metres behind Richard R & Steve C. We did a couple of laps of a loop through the woods, before heading back to the uphill tarmac section to the finish.

The guy from Wetherby (in the picture) overtook me just before the start of the final climb. I managed to follow him most of the way uphill before finding a sprint from somewhere to just beat him to the line.

I finished in 30th position, covering the hilly 8.6k in 34:31, just under4 minutes per km pace, which was OK, all things considered. The result meant that I was able to maintain my lead in the M55 category for the series, finishing a few places ahead of clubmate Malcolm P who's in 2nd place. In the team results Ilkley Harriers finished first in both the vets & supervets (over 55) categories.

It was a successful evening as far as the results were concerned, but I'm not sure that racing on consecutive days is really a good idea. I need to take it easy for a few days now.

John Carr 3 - 5k

Running has been taking a low priority for the last week or so. My youngest daughter's wedding at the weekend was a major event, we had a great day, although it meant drinking too much alcohol, almost not sleeping for 2 days & having a house full of visitors for several days. On top of that I developed a bad cold & chest infection. To say that I wasn't well prepared for the final John Carr race would be quite an understatement.

In the series I had a lead in the M55 age group of 21 seconds over Shaun J from Bingley Harriers, so my real target for the race was to try to make sure that he didn't distance me. I really wasn't sure that I'd be able to run properly being dosed up with Lemsips, paracetamols & Benylin.

Somehow I managed to run at a reasonable pace, although I was struggling on the fast downhill finish & Shaun managed to sneak a couple of seconds or so in front of me.....but not enough to put much of a dent in my overall lead. Another Bingley M55 runner also finished a few seconds in front of us this week, so on the night I was only 3rd M55. It's only the 2nd time this year that I've been beaten in my age category, but I can't complain too much in the circumstances & I still got the prize for winning the series.

My time was 17:39, which up until a couple of weeks ago I would have been over the moon about. Now I regard it as being OK considering that I wasn't feeling very well. Some people are never satisfied! Looking at the Power of Ten UK rankings, 4 of the fastest 7 5ks in the UK this year have been set at the John Carr series for the M55 age group. Either it's a very fast course or we have some very competitive old runners in this area (or both).

I feel as though I need a good long rest now, however, this evening is the second race in the Harrogate League series. Given that I'm leading in the senior vets category & we need points in the club team race, I'll have a go at running again. I'm sure that this is a bad idea!

John Carr 2 - 5k

This evening was the 2nd John Carr 5k. I didn't quite have the pace that I did last week & recorded 17:37. If I hadn't run 8 seconds faster last week I would have been delighted with that time. I set off more slowly than a week ago, 5 seconds more for the first km. For the next 3km, I ran at a similar pace to last week, then slowed again in the last km.

I should really be quite pleased with this run, but inevitably it's a bit disappointing to run a bit slower. The official results aren't out yet, but hopefully I will have maintained my lead in the series for the M55 category.

I've not been blogging much about my training runs recently as there has been little to write about. I have been running every day (apart from Thursday last week), but only slowly & on my regular training routes. My plan is to take it relatively easy again for the next few days before the 3rd race in the John Carr series next week.

Running up Simon's Seat

My run today could not have been more different to the 5k race around Esholt on Wednesday. I ventured out on one of my favourite runs, although it's the first time this year that I've done it. The route includes the climb of Simon's Seat. I was running at a very gentle pace, taking it easy all the way round & stopping to take photos along the way.

I started from near a cafe called the Buffers where it's possible to park without needing to pay the £7 (or whatever it is now) to park

in one of the Bolton Abbey Estate car parks. The disadvantage of this starting point is that it's at the top of a very big hill, which would need to be climbed at the end of my run. My route took me past the Cavendish Pavilion, then up through the Valley of Desolation (top photo).

It's a long steady climb up to the summit of Simon's Seat, but the view from the top on a clear sunny day like today makes it worthwhile. The wind was quite brisk at the top, so I didn't hand around for too long. For the descent I took the path down to the

River Wharfe at Howgill. This then gave me a run back of about 8k along the side of the river, including my regular running route through the Strid Wood.

Pace really doesn't matter on an off road run like this, especially taking it very easy, but it was interesting that my Garmin recorded more than more than 7 minutes per km, compared to faster than 3:30 per km on Wednesday.

My plan is to take it relatively easy again for the next few days before the next John Carr 5k on Wednesday.

John Carr 1 5k - Yorkshire vets championships

Today was the main race that I've been preparing for this year. I had a target of trying to get under 18 minutes & hoping to get a medal in the Yorkshire Veterans championships. I was quite nervous all day in advance of the race, which is unusual for me.

The race set off at a frantic pace as usual for this brisk 5k course. The 1st km is downhill, but even taking that into account I was surprised to run 3:17, which is 9 seconds faster than I ran last year for that split. In the 2nd km I was aware of a Bingley runner just in front of me who was probably in the same age group as me, so I put in an effort to catch up to him, then overtake him in the 3rd km.

My next 'target' was Richard R who had run a fast 10k on Monday at Rothwell, he seemed to be slowing on the uphill section in the 4th km. The last km is downhill & very quick, so I put in a real effort to get in front of Richard just before the finishing line. I was amazed to look at my watch & see my unofficial finishing time of 17:28, with a split for the 5th km of 3:10!

I was successful in winning the M55 category of the Yorkshire vets championships, the first time that I've had a medal of any sort in a championship race. I believe that my time is also the 2nd fastest 5k time for my age group in the UK this year & a Ilkley Harriers record for M50 & M55. Needless to say I'm very pleased with the evening's race.

There were also some very good performances from other Ilkley runners, Sally M was 1st lady & won the Yorks vets F35 championships. Jane B was 2nd F40 & Alison B 2nd F45.

Still taking it easy

I seemed to be taking a while to get over the effort of Thursday's hilly race & with half a mind on the John Carr 5k on Wednesday my two runs this weekend were not at all strenuous. Yesterday I did a hilly route which was similar to the Harrogate League race route, but in the opposite direction. I was certainly going quite slowly up Carters Lane, & not much quicker on the descent of Owler Park Road.

This morning was back to the two bridges route, a bit quicker than yesterday's run, but still on the easy side of steady. So that's two shortish runs in two days. I've become a great believer in the merit of easy paced recovery runs as an alternative to rest days. Running 10-12 kms at a pace slower than 5 mins per km seemed to give me the benefit of taking it easy whilst not being totally lazy.

I'm looking forward to the John Carr series. It's 3 5k races on consecutive Wednesday evenings on a very fast course & usually a high standard of competition. It's not everyone's cup of tea, being run mainly around the local sewage works.