My Physio had just given me the go ahead to start running again, following the return of the leg injury, providing I take it easy and build the miles back up fairly slowly. A two, then three mile run had been followed by a cracking five and a half mile run in my local woods the air heavily scented by bluebells, I have never seen them looking so fine. All was going well despite my leg being far from pain free, then I caught a cold. Tuesday's run dragged and left me very tired so I decided I would give Thursday's a miss.
Bluebells in Watermills wood, Apedale
Then a friend, Sarah Clough, messaged on Thursday morning asking if I wanted to run that evening. At first I thought that she meant to take up an invitation to join me on my bluebell run. Then she mentioned Shutlingsloe race, part of the Staffordshire Moorlands Athletic Club Summer Series. I explained that I had a cold and was under orders anyway, but Sarah said that she was intending to take it easy so I was persuaded. She had mentioned this series before, describing it as 'cross country'. I have never run in a cross country event and know very little about the sport. I had some impression that cross country runners went out into the country then ran round in circles missing out all the good bits (and did so at very high speed). In consequence I thought that we might run round Shutlingsloe rather than up it. Fortunately this event was a fell race (in fact nowhere is the series described as cross country).
Sarah asked me if I would pick her up at 18:30 (the race started at 19:30). We arrived and "parked" in a manner that would have had me tutting if it were someone else's behaviour, with seven minutes to put shoes on, register, pin up, find the toilets and get to the start line. This was all normal for Sarah who lives her life at a pace different to mine.
Sarah suggested that she could take it easy and pace me to ensure that I took it steady. This proved a little difficult in practise. We ran together for a while then I moved ahead as the gradient increased so that I could settle at my slowest efficient climbing pace. The ground levelled and I reined it in, Sarah soon caught up, but by now the path was too narrow to run together. As the path turned upwards again I moved back to my minimum efficient pace. We emerged from Macclesfield Forest and started the easy north ascent of Shutlingsloe. The route then swung right following the path round the hill until we were on the Widboarclough side, here we began a steep climb following the Roaches Fell Race ascent line. I started to work a little harder, again in the name of efficiency. I looked round for Sarah, I couldn't see her though she was not far behind. I had the choice of some tricky overtaking or walking near the top so I settled into a walk as I was in no hurry.
The descent back to Macc' Forest required a little concentration however my familiarity with this path and its stone steps made it easier. As I couldn't see Sarah I just ran at comfortable trail marathon pace, this was frustrating as I was actually feeling good and felt I could have made a reasonable job of this event. I reminded myself that it was not as frustrating as the weeks I have spent out of the sport due to injury and resisted temptation. Most of the descent through the Forest was easy 'falling forward' running, though there was one section on hard packed trail that required true downhill technique.
After exiting the finishing tunnel I chatted with a runner I had been introduced to as we waited for Sarah who was soon in sight. She took advantage of a free massage provided by a therapist from Leek before we retired to a pub for a beer and chat with other runners. All in all a great night out. I was very surprised at the large turnout out for this non FRA event.
I've always wanted to do some short events in the weekday evenings. The fact that I would spend considerably more time driving than running has been the main reason that I have not. I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to share this particular evening and that alleviated my environmental concerns. If I can car share again I am very tempted to try the hillier races in the rest of this series.
This race is traditionally 3 miles, ascent not given. I made it nearly 3.6 miles with 1022' of ascent so AS, using Quo 2 with OS 1:25,000. Sarah measured the run as 3.8 miles on the ground with her gps phone. It is interesting to see just how much following the zigs and zags of real paths adds to the distance (I made it 3.52 miles using the same software as Sarah, but tracing the route).
My rss reader has just seen it to serve me your last 7 reports (well, Tuesday, but I've just looked at it).
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had an enjoyable evening and it fitted in with your training - it was nice to run with you at last. If I wasn't so out of shape at the moment I might have been able to keep up a little better!
They aren't really cross country are they, more track and fell. I only refer to them as that as I believe it's what Staffs AC thinks if them as even though it's hidden on their website, and it's what my colleague to first introduced me to them touted them as. The only one that really feels cross country is Oakamoor, jumping over free roots. Not that I've actually done any cross country, in school it was all the teachers could do to get the girls group to run round the field on cross country days.