Keep sweeping the cobwebs off the moon

I finally managed to get my knee problem recognised by the NHS, when I changed doctor a while back.  I recently had a second appointment with a consultant, following X-rays and MRI.  The news was not good, the condition is considered degenerative and untreatable.  When I asked about running, the reply contained phrases like "there comes a time...".

While I have no intention of denying what is happening to me and taking up chanting, whacky diets or any other fashionable fringe behaviour, I do intend to run until it becomes impossible.  I will continue to modify my training to minimise impact and maximise what time I have left.  I will also make damn sure that the quality of what running I can manage is exceptionally high.  Not that any of that was of much relevance for a while after the diagnosis.  Surgery for another body malfunction (also misdiagnosed by my old GP) prevented me from doing much after the Rainow Five.  I didn't even manage a walk further than sixteen miles in 2016.  I'll just 'Keep sweeping the cobwebs off the moon'.¹

Glad I wasn't out when this oak broke.  Frightening when I think how many times I have run under this large branch!!

Now I have recovered from that, I commute by bicycle, around forty miles a day, and walk for three miles in my lunch break, to keep fit without stressing the knee unduly.  This also helps with my general mental well being, but leaves me with very little spare time in the week.

Review of stats. suggests that events and routes are what interest people most.  I intend to continue the blog.  Hopefully I will manage a few events though they will have to be short ones.  I will also report on some longer routes, even if they are only walked with a 'runner's eye'.  On average I am managing to run less than once a week.

When I can run, five miles seems as easy and natural as when I was running regularly, so the keep fit strategy must be working.


¹ For non jazzers , 'Keep sweeping the cobwebs off the moon' is a wonderful jazz age 'accent the positive' song.  My favourite version is by Lee Morse.  I have to admit that while the cheer is infectious it is tinged with a sadness that the performances belong to a distant past.  Rather apt in the circumstances.

Bank Holiday and The Rainow 5 (BS)

I thought it was about time I joined in with some of the fell racing fun to be had on weekday evenings.  I was very fortunate both with the weather and the event that was available.  The Rainow 5 is deservedly popular and I enjoyed myself thoroughly despite logistical problems and overdoing it the previous weekend.

Bank Holiday
The Bank Holiday weather was not exactly sparkling, but I enjoyed the opportunity to walk and, on Sunday, run.  Saturday I went out to pick wild garlic greens (ramsons) .  During a break in the weather a glimpse of the distant Berwyn mountains across a 'greening' landscape stirred some yearnings.  I craved something steep, my faulty knee demanded something not too remote, so I settled on seven miles of Shutlingsloe and Macc' Forest for a Sunday run.


Berwyn Mountains from a gap in the hedgerow along Crackley Lane (Hollywood Lane end), a local footpath.  Unfortunately this path is a 'BOAT' and horribly mangled by off road vehicles.

Standing Stone car park was pretty empty and I set off, in mildly wild conditions, for Shutlingsloe summit.  I took the permissive path round the edge of the forest, joined the main path then went left  and round to ascend from the south east (Roaches Race ascent).   There was no one else on the summit, I did a quick three sixty and set off down the paved step north descent.

A summit to myself, a wet Shutlingsloe trig. point.  

I fair flew down to the reservoirs, the ascent of the 'Forest Bridleway' heading north had me puffing though.  It always seems to be ascent fitness that goes first when one isn't running regularly.  The first part of the 'Forest Chapel' footpath is also steep, but the wonderfully spooky scenery (pictured elsewhere on this blog) takes away the sting and one hardly notices the gradient.  There are a number of roads by the Chapel and I took the wrong one, unbelievable given my familiarity with the area.  I took 'the road I took last time', forgetting that I was on a different route last time!  I ended up running an extra two miles, and five hundred feet more ascent.  Much as I enjoyed running further than I have run since well before my knee 'op, my knee was a little inflamed afterwards. 

Rainow 5
I had had my eye on the Rainow 5.  Aerial imagery suggested no parking possibilities at all.  Not to be beaten I cast my net wider and found a car park in Bollington a little less than two miles away.  There was virtue to this necessity, the walk would serve both as a warm up and a knee test before the race.  The walk was well worth it for its own sake, and I was fortunate enough to meet a couple of others headed for the event so had company along the way.

The turnout was good on this gorgeous evening and the low sun cast a warm golden light over the landscape and us.

The 'knee test' results were not good and I was a little apprehensive about running.  I signed up anyway as running often seems more comfortable than walking these days (I am guessing tension in the quads is keeping things in line).  We poured out from in and around the Village Institute and filled the small lane ready for the start.  It was heartening to see the large gathering of fell runners glowing in the light from the embers of the day.  At a guess there were around two hundred runners.  I was filled with an, 'as long as this sort of thing continues, all is well with the world' feeling.

Runners stretched out on the lane down towards Bollington, we later turned left onto a footpath crossing the route I had used to walk to Rainow from the car.

We were away and off down Oakenbank Lane.  My decision to run was quickly vindicated, even this fast descent was giving me less grief than the walk had.  A broad smile spread across my face as the familiar 'nothing else matters so long as the run continues' feeling came over me. 

 There was a big bottleneck at the first stile.  This stile 'bunched' the field so there were no real queues at the next few stiles.

A big queue for the first stile.

After the stiles and crossing the 'walk in' lane out of Bollington, the ascent up to 'White Nancy' began.  This steep path surprised quads and lungs after the easy running that had been enjoyed so far.

'White Nancy', sporting a bicentennial celebration mural. I  left the race line here to get the favourable light.

The running along the ridge to Kerridge Hill was really outstanding, a good surface playing few tricks, the gorse looking magical in the evening's glow.

On the way from White Nancy to Kerridge Hill top. - There can be few nicer ways to spend a May evening than enjoying this ridge, this view and this company.

The descent was technical enough to keep one's attention, but not so much as to be threatening (at my kind of speed anyway).  I am no longer passed by hordes, in descents.  It is ironic that I seem to have found the descending skills I needed, only now that I am running on borrowed time.

Big climb out of the way, I had started to pick up a bit of speed.  I passed a good few people on the ridge and subsequent descent, and continued to do so as we contoured.  The ascent back up to Rainow came as a bit of a shock to the system and I began to think I had paced myself badly.  I felt really tired, but managed to keep going.  As the distance slipped away and I didn't feel much worse, I realised that I had just become unaccustomed to the feeling of running tired .  Indeed in the last few hundred metres I found I could still pick it up quite a bit and gave it my best to the finish line.

I hadn't felt so good in ages and finding that there were cheese and tomato rolls available in the Institute, as well as the excellent cake selection, just topped it off.  I found out later that the charming girls with impeccable manners, who served and had prepared the food, were Rainow Guides.  A credit to the community and themselves. 

Rainow's 'Village Institute', home of some remarkable hospitality.

I balanced as much food as I could on a plate (I had come straight from work and home was perhaps an hour and a half away) and grabbed a coffee.  With the walk back to Bollington and the drive home, I couldn't hang around for long.  I shook a few hands, stroked a few dogs, found and thanked some of the organisers and apologised for having to leave before the awards.  As I went outside and dressed for the walk, I met one of my companions from the walk in.  She was ready to leave as well, so I had company to shorten the walk back.  I got home not long after ten, just enough time to sort myself out and for a beer before bed while reflecting on my sojourn in Ladybird Land.

The Rainow 5 is a great event on a route well worth running.  The organisation and luck we had with the weather on this particular May evening, made it something extra special that I will remember for a long time.  My thanks to those who made such weekday fun possible.  Results are up here, on the Macc' Harriers site, they confirm that there were over two hundred and ten runners.  Well done everybody, especial congrats to the two MV50s in the top ten overall.

Mow Cop Hill Race 17th April 2016 - 6.5 miles 1200' (BM)

I was very pleased to be able to find the form to complete Mow Cop Hill Race once again.  The event is a 6.5 miles (10.5km) 1200ft (400m) FRA category BM with surprisingly varied terrain and scenery in the short distance.  I have never missed a year and so was determined at least to make an attempt this year.  Encouragingly, things went much better than I expected and I am left thinking that I may be able to do more than I have been of late.

There was a different feel to the race this year.  The organisation was as competent as ever and the course was (almost) identical to previous years, the difference was the participants.  I was surprised, as the village hall filled up with registering runners, to see very few faces I recognised.  Notwithstanding the lack of familiar faces, it was soon clear that there was going to be no lack of runners.  All done there were nearly one hundred and fifty at the start, which I'm pretty sure is a record turnout.

 Mow Cop Village Hall - More starters than I could fit in my camera.

I thought that there was a new start, as there was a large ridge of uncompacted asphalt and a taped barrier between the village hall car park and the small field where the start usually takes place.  It was explained that there had been some fly tipping incidents and measures were being taken to prevent a repeat.  A three foot ridge of stuff isn't really going to put a fell runner off stride and so this minor obstacle just became part of the course.

The pre race instruction was delivered with sufficient humour that everyone shut up to listen and I could hear clearly even right at the back.  Especially important was the direction to be courteous to other users of the footpath.  In my experience the locals seem entirely friendly and supportive of this event, manners will go a long way to keep it so.

 Because I was taking it easy I could position myself between the middle and back packs and this gave me a few more photo opportunities.  I even managed one snap looking behind me (I made two attempts, one failed).

The climb into the village on the outward leg - the runners chasing me.

I puffed my way up the climb to the village.  I usually consider climbing my forte, however, the lack of any running from April last year and a mere twenty miles or so total for this year has left me seriously out of condition.  Things were moving slowly all through the quarry this time so I didn't get to find out if my feet could still work precisely until later.  I had elected to wear trail shoes instead of fell shoes for the first time in this event.  The idea was to give my knees a bit of cushioning on descents. I was yet to see whether this choice was wise.  I have always leant towards the view that the stability of a fell shoe minimising the risk of twisting something was more important, in the past.

 Coming out of the quarry - always a bit of a bottleneck here.

Emerging from the quarry onto the track behind the folly brings one pretty much to the highest point on the route.  Easy running past the 'Old Man' revealed cracking views across the Cheshire plain, easy to accept it had once been a sea when seen in the day's blue haze.

 The sea of Cheshire from Mow Cop - Is that a bulging spinnaker gleaming white on the horizon?

 A poor shot of the 'Old Man'.  Exposure compensation on the hoof?  You must be joking.

 The following section in the woods demands care, not too steeply downhill, but fast nonetheless and with plenty of mud, tree roots and overhanging branches.  I didn't have any real trouble here in my Crosslites.  We were soon on and back off Mow Lane with its lovely views in all directions.  This is where it starts to get deeply boggy, knee deep if you are really unlucky.  That kind of squidge makes tripping very likely, I managed to stay upright this year.  The runner in front of me lost her shoe and had to stop to look for it.  She then became the runner behind me, he-he.

After the boggy mud trip field, comes the clayey mud slip field.  This second field was a shadow of its former nuisance.  There seems to be a new drainage ditch and despite the wet winter only a few dips were up to past standards of awfulness.

The gorgeous narrow descent following the stream is also slippery and I thought I might miss the sharper studs of my Walsh's here.  Though I did have to exercise care in places where the path was on its way down the stream's bank, I got stuck behind someone who's shoe had shredded itself and had to move slowly anyway.

I took to the verge by the road, to humour my knee, I immediately tripped on the grass and went flying!  I ran alongside runner 107, Laura Stubbs, for a while here.  She was running with her father who, she explained, also had to humour his knee on descents.  The ascent up to the woods was punctuated by the sound of Tom Jones booming from a portable radio in the farmyard we passed. The woods seemed really hard work and were pretty muddy as expected.  I made a bit of an effort as we emerged from the woods, overtaking Laura and her father in the seriously churned up field.  As I neared the top I pointed my camera to the Peak District side of the day's view.

Looking towards the Peak District - Shutlingsloe centre, Croker Hill tower can be clearly seen further left.

My knee nagged on the tarmac descent and I began to think I might pay rather seriously for the day's fun.  I let runners come past and carried on to the field crossing, more runners came past, the knee didn't feel quite so bad now.  As we rejoined the path used on the way up, I thought - "sod it, I've probably overdone it anyway, might as well be hung as a wolf"- and picked up some speed.  I'm not talking heroic disregard for the trip/sprained joint hazards, but I did stop favouring my knee.  I caught up and overtook most of the runners who had come past on the road and across the field.

I crossed the line in 1:15:41.  That's nearly two and a half minutes a mile slower than my best time, ask me if I care much!  I photographed a few of the runners behind me before going down to the drink station then tea and cake in the hall.

Left - Rob Bailey.  Right - Olive Bigmore.

 Left - Might be a bit previous looking at your watch, I'm not sure you're over the line yet!  Right - Laura Stubbs coming in just ahead of her father Harry Stubbs.
  
I really enjoyed Mow Cop Hill Race, thanks again to those who worked hard to bring it all off.  I do love club organised 'village hall', 'tea and cake', friendly events.  This event has the best of tradition and the best of progress - A traditional event, delicious home made cake (and free range eggs) in the hall, and results on line by tea time. You can't fault that.

Best of all, I do not seem to be suffering from making the effort to run.  I think my knee might be entering a 'just hurts' phase.  It hurts, but there seems to be little correlation between stress and pain, delayed or otherwise (where the stress is within reasonable limits).

Statement of intention, spring and Panniers' Pool

I am not superstitious in any way, so I am happy to make a statement of intention to take part in this year's Mow Cop Hill Race.  Spring is poking its head out of the forest floor and hedgerows.  The first Bluebells have been around for a fortnight, Wood Anemones catch the dappled light, and those Hawthorns unmolested by recent chain flailing are already walling the lanes with green.  Not surprisingly then, the urge to get out and run is stronger than ever.

 Wood Anemones brightening the forest floor in the wonderfully named Parrot's Drumble.

 There has been no upturn in the health of my knee, quite the contrary in fact.  However I have found, that with great care, I can run a few miles every now and then.  Down hill on hard surfaces seems to be the thing to avoid, other than that, the difficulty/strenuousness of a route doesn't seem to make any difference.  So far I haven't run more than ten miles in a week and sometimes I have to rest completely. 

Last weekend saw me at Axe Edge Moor once again.  The lay-by off the A54 is rarely crowded and there is some wonderful scenery accessible within a few miles.  I decided on an extended version of the circular route taking in Three Shires Head.  I made a detour at Orchard Farm to climb Cheeks Hill, and continued following the Dane from Three Shires Head until I met the road, then took the path back from Cut-Thorn.  This gave a route of 6.5 miles and 1,133 feet of ascent, not dissimilar to Mow Cop Hill Race, though that was not an intention.

I took it easy downhill to Danebower Quarries, I was enjoying myself far too much to notice that the path climbs overall from there to the farm.  The climb did become noticeable from the farm to the disused shafts part way up Cheeks Hill and became very noticeable from there on to the stile just before the indistinct top.

 Cat and Fiddle (and blue sky) on the horizon, seen from the top of Cheeks Hill.

The path down was mostly well surfaced and I could spend more time looking at the view and less time looking at my feet than I had.  The disused shafts and the blue-black shaley soil make quite a striking mini landscape.  It was all downhill now to Three Shires Head and beyond.  The good surface continued while track became an access road until finally the path turns south west to follow a short unnamed tributary of the Dane.  The path is now less certain under foot, while the atmosphere builds as tarmac is left behind.  In no time at all one is at the rather wonderful Panniers' Pool.

The main bridge, Panniers' Pool.

Needless to say I lingered here for a while.  I took a few photos, but the view was blotted by a chap, eating his sandwiches, perched on the overhanging rock by the bridge.  I decided to have another go on the way back.  I met and stroked a nice dog who was enjoying the splashing water, then set off for Cut-Thorn.  The small path that follows the Dane closely seems to get little use, most people favouring the track that heads more directly south (if they go on at all).

 The smaller bridge, Panniers' Pool

I enjoyed the solitude of the little used path, it was poorly maintained though not as mangled by the passage of mountain bikes as better known footpaths.  The path leaves the Dane at the lowest point in the route and turns steeply up the side of the valley to the minor road.  My route then continued steeply up the road to Cut-Thorn and then took the track back to Panniers' Pool.

I was luckier at the pool this time, there was an unobstructed view, though the light was no longer so fine.  I took my shots quite quickly and set off along the Dane with that sadness one feels when a good run is nearing its end.  At this point I find it helpful to think of  sandwiches/cheese and chipotle wraps waiting in the car (it is best if they actually exist).

I enjoyed what was left of the run despite that 'heading back now' feeling.  The last section of the path was very muddy.  I stopped several times to wash my feet, shoes and legs in the Dane, only to get covered again.  I had a last wash before leaving the river and heading for the chimney, I passed the chimney and turned towards the road.  I stretched and was soon tucking into the wraps.

 Stuff hurts only an average amount.   I am taking it pretty easy now, until Sunday.  Wish me luck and I hope to see some of you there.  See - Mow Cop Hill Race 2016

Well, that seems to be that - and a general point about 'evidence based' medicine.

The good news is that I am not going to have to worry about finding a replacement for my very comfortable, but outrageously short lived La Sportiva C-Lite 2s.  The anti inflammatory treatment I had recently has brought me no discernible benefit.  In fact, none of the treatment I have had to date has brought me any discernible benefit.

The story of my injury over the last two and a half years is one of decline, despite treatment and the optimism of medical professionals.  What I have experienced is some improvement after long rests (up to six months) followed by much greater declines.  At first I sometimes experienced discomfort after running.  Now I can only walk two or three miles on easy terrain before my knee starts to complain.  It usually takes at least a week's rest before symptoms subside.  To pursue treatment further, at my own expense, would have to be a matter of faith rather than reason. 

So that, where running is concerned, seems to be that.

While I do understand that I have just been unlucky so far as the efficacy of treatment is concerned, one aspect of the care I have received has annoyed me a great deal.

So what has annoyed me?

Let me explain that I do not make the distinction, that many do, between 'conventional' and 'alternative' medicine/therapy.  Frankly, why should I care about such a distinction?  I do however distinguish between 'evidence based' and 'non evidence based' medicine/therapy.

If I am going to risk my health, physical and financial, I want to see some evidence that treatment will work.  I require that this evidence is well documented, reputable, disprovable and has an adequate sample size.  Medicine that claims to be evidence based needs to constantly monitor and re-assess new evidence to support that claim.  This is especially true where evidence for the treatment is not unequivocal, as in the present instance ¹.

So why is it that, despite multi page feedback forms that ask me what I thought about everything from the décor of the hospital room to the courtesy of the desk staff and the quality of the food, no one has bothered to enquire whether I have benefited from treatment?


¹  "...unlike knee replacement surgery, which is supported by population based patient reported outcomes (PROMs) data and the National Joint Registry, healthcare commissioners lack the necessary data to allow informed decision making for knee arthroscopy" - BMJ 2014;348:g2382 

Crossed fingers and an anti inflammatory injection in the knee joint

Well things have not worked out very well at all.  Whereas several people I know have benefited from arthroscopy for meniscus tears, my own knee is much worse than it was before the 'op.  I was OK after Mow Cop, however a five mile run the following Wednesday put paid to any thoughts I may have had about a proper (or any other) return to running.

The following day I could barely bend my knee more than ten degrees,  Although the limited movement improved, since then there have been relatively few days when even walking doesn't cause my knee to pop, click and nag.  Occasionally, an awkward foot landing will cause me enough pain to wince (or swear out loud).

I went to see the consultant again.  He recommended an anti inflammatory injection direct into the knee joint and is still optimistic about my chances of making a full recovery.  I don't dare allow myself any optimism, in the three years that I have been affected by the condition I have experienced only a substantial decline in mobility notwithstanding physiotherapy, orthoses and surgery.

Despite reservations about throwing 'good money after bad', I decided to take the advice and have the injection.  It seems plausible that mild inflammation is pushing the knee out of alignment, if the knee is misaligned movement may cause aggravation and perpetuate the swelling.  Any hope that this latest work might be 'under guarantee' was optimistic, the consultation was £70 and the injection £220.  While I would be willing to spend my life savings to be able to run again, I cannot justify funding myself for any further treatment without a more or less guaranteed outcome.

I had the injection this morning, the business was fuss free, didn't really hurt, and was over in less than a minute.  I was told to hang around in the waiting room for fifteen minutes afterwards, 'just in case', and was then free to go.  I was able to drive the thirty miles to work and was in for about nine thirty, only about an hour and a half late, a lot better than the half day off I had anticipated.  I can start running again next week if all goes as it should.

Mow Cop Hill Race, BM (and a nice cup of tea).

Six weeks after my knee op' the consultant told me I could start running again, but not to "go mad".  I ran a few short exploratory runs, then three miles of mixed road and solid trail.  All seemed well so I tried my first off road run the weekend before Mow Cop.

Mow Cop Hill Race, 6.5 miles, 1200' (FRA category BM), 12/04/15
The Met. office gave out weather alerts for the area as there was a good chance of severe winds.  The organisers called for mandatory hat and wind proof top and recommended full body cover be carried, quite right too.  As I was none too confident about finishing I had already packed a wind proof top, Mistlite pants and a micro fleece jacket anyway.

The pre race briefing

 The pre race briefing was rather comical, we were warned that straying off the path in one area might result in us being impaled on spikes in the ground and that avoiding a stile elsewhere could mean becoming ensnared in barbed wire.  This caused one wag amongst the starters to ask if we were being auditioned for a Japanese game show.  I doubt if anyone was unduly worried, the event has always been well organised, well marked and well marshalled so we were unlikely to go astray.

We were soon away and off up the slope from the village hall to the playing fields, I adopted a relaxed pace near the back, I had no intention of stressing my knee.  As we arrived at the quarry there was a fair gap between me and the runner behind.  This allowed me a photographic opportunity where we entered the quarry instead of the usual one while in the queue at the exit.

 Mow Cop Quarry

My feet seemed to find their way on the uneven ground, I had expected a bit of proprioceptive failure due to my long time out of things.  This welcome news emboldened me a little and I picked up a few places as we exited the quarry and on the trail past the Old Man of Mow.  Confidence is useful in the woods alongside Congleton Road/Mow Lane, though this year the ground wasn't that slippery and I just enjoyed the running.

Soon we were on the short section on Mow Lane then off again and into the boggy field past Limekiln Wood.  I made good progress here, passing a few people while skimming the bog on tufts of grass.  This sort of fun has to come to an end and, after a charmed run for about two thirds of the bog, my luck ran out and I went in and over.  From here on, until near the end of the race, I ran close to and occasionally chatted with (I think) Samantha Calvert, bib 98

The following fields, where the sticky mud lives, were fairly dry this year.  The pretty descent along the stream down to the lane was also less slippery, just as well as reflexes and proprioception were tested again by a sudden encounter with a fallen tree.  I took it easy on the following downhill road section, and ran on the verges rather than the tarmac to minimise impact forces.  Then came the uphill slog over fields, after leaving Yew Tree Lane, and the steep ascent up through Hanging Wood. Strangely, the path through the woods was the most churned up I have ever seen it.

A well wrapped finisher (Christopher Pimblott, M50 , bib 4).

Samantha and I were still running at a similar pace as we came out of the woods onto the skyline and then round the Old Man.  From where  the real descent to the finish starts, by the folly, I adopted a relaxed pace to 'humour' my knee.  Indeed, in what was only a mile to the end Samantha pulled more than a minute ahead of me.

A nice cup of tea.

While it had been fresh, no severe winds had made themselves felt.  Race over, I caught up with a few of the people I had met on the course.  We chatted over a nice cup of tea and extravagant quantities of the superb home made cakes on offer.  I noticed that just about every plate I saw featured more than one slice, the only sensible solution to the problem presented by wide choice.

The prize giving followed.  First placed Lady, Olivia Walwyn, broke her own record for the course by more than two minutes with a time of 00:48:49, a truly impressive performance.  Second places for both sexes were won by veterans and two MV60s were home in less than an hour.  

My thanks to the organisers and marshals.  I enjoyed myself tremendously as I have each time I have taken part.  There is something so reassuring and timeless about this kind of event with hills, streams, fields and forest, village halls, tea and home baked cakes, friendly banter, muddy legs and the smell of liniment.  If you are around next year do take part (and tell your friends about it as well).

I was happy with my own run, I felt like a runner again and nothing hurt more than it did when I started.  As it turned out I was only a minute slower than my previous worst time (though I had run 26 miles the previous day on that occasion).  Last year's Mow Cop was my first and last event of 2014.  Here's hoping that the op' has worked and that there is more to come in 2015.