w/c 23rd April - 3 peaks success!

I tried to convince myself last week that the three peaks race was not a test of how things were progressing for the BGR. I mean, how could it be? The BGR takes @24 hours and is done slowly whereas the three peaks is a fast, pounding circuit done at a hard effort. The BGR is contains many rocky sections whereas the three peaks is on grass, good paths and not a little tarmac. The BGR involves the taking on of a substantial amount of food whereas the three peaks can be done just taking on fluids...

Despite these accurate non-comparisons, it's clear to me now (with 20:20 hindsight kicking in) that this was always going to be a test; perhaps not of my readiness for the BGR exactly but certainly of my progress towards being fit enough and strong enough to do it.

The simple fact is that if i'm not demostrably stronger than when i last did the three peaks 2 years ago then it's uncertain that I have it in me to train and improve to a sufficient level to get round the BGR. A good run today doesn't remotely guarantee a completion, but a bad one might raise some serious questions for 9 weeks time...

I never really acknowledged the significance of this, but deep down i must have known. I had to not just beat my 2005 time of 4.17, i had to shatter it and run at a different level. I never actually said this, even to myself, for fear of failure. Expressing the significance of this run might have robbed me of the chance to talk off a bad one as insignificant, probably citing the points above about how the 2 don't compare.

I might not have acknowledged any of this, but my conscience knew better and it explains why I was nervous as hell on that start line.

I went out fast, stupidly fast I thought. I didn't sprint or anything but it felt like a hard pace. I tried to slow down but instead I just motored on, almost on autopilot. 10 mins in and the hard pace was not hurting so much so I decided to relax and go with it. At the turn to climb Penyghent I was in a pack which had some fast looking runners in it, including Sharon from Bingley who I knew was a 3hrs 30 runner. There was quite a headwind for a time so i drafted a Bjorn Borg lookalike from Tring who looked strong. He towed me most of the way up PYG and I reached the top in 37.28 - just 32 seconds faster than the sub four hour schedule i had set myself. I had mixed feelings here - ok i was on track but that felt harder than i wanted it to and i worried i couldn't keep that up. I decided to simply relax and push on...

Next target on the schedule: Ribblehead in 61 mins. This involves a 7.5 mile cross country run on paths and tracks with loads of little ups and downs. Taken too quickly, it can scupper the rest of your race. Despite that, i decided to give myself a chance to break four hours and to push it a little here. I patted myself on the back for a brave decision as this could easily backfire. Once i had a plan, i relaxed and it felt like i was running on air. Bingley Sharon had long since gone but I steadily made my way through the field and felt increasingly confident. I was shocked at how quickly the 1 mile road section leading to Ribblehead arrived. I took a drink there (losing a few places as i did) and pushed onto to RH and a waiting Dave Oldfield + drinks. 56 mins for that section and a massive confidence boost. I thought before the race that i might get near four hours, but now it seemed now like i was well inside the schedule and i started to dare to hope.

Whernside is a steep and messy climb. However, it's not as tall as it looks - just 1500' from Ribblehead. That's not much more than Moel Famau, although it is far steeper. I decided to keep attacking. At this point I caught a chap who was on his first 3ps race. He looked very strong and I decided he would be a suitable candidate to hang on to. He pushed hard and ran much of the climb, which took me 42 mins in 2005. This time, thanks to him, I was up in 37 mins - a huge improvement for such a short section. Result! I dropped my temporary pacemaker shortly after the summit who seemed to have used too much in the climb - but I was very grateful to him!

Yessss, things were going well! Don't balls it up now on the descent by going over on an ankle or something.... I had to get to the Hill Inn in 25 mins acc to the 4 hour schedule. I was caught between backing off and sandbagging for Ingleborough (and also avoiding an injury) and just going for it. As i was pondering this, and descending along the ridge like some big jessie, a wiry old bugger from Horwich came flying by. "Now that's fellrunning" I thought. It also occurred to me in an ultra-competitive moment that this is precisely the sort of place where Steve comes hurtling by. So I decided to hang onto Horwich man. He took a fabulous line well to the right of the track and i knew i'd made a good choice. It's not like me to make places up on a descent, but there I was passing people merrily. 22 mins later i was running up that short and bloody steep road to the Hill Inn checkpoint knowing that 4 hours was looking possible.

I decided that 40 mins up to Ingleborough and 40 back down to Horton and the finish line would be enough. I took a drink and a gel at the checkpoint and set off towards Ingleborough. For the first time i didn't feel good. Those 2 miles or so to the main climb along duckboards and stone slabs were awful. I ran most of it but walked on some of the small rises and got angry with myself for not running. I saw Dave O halfway along there which perked me up a bit but declined a drink as i was in a rhythm and wanted to keep plugging. I reached the main climb feeling a little worried that I was going to blow it. Bizzarely, it seems now that what I needed was a steep climb that noone could have run at that stage of the race. Everyone was forced to walk and so that run/walk debate, which was getting me down, was swiftly removed. To my delight, i found i was passing people on that steep climb at will. I wasn't stonking up there or anything, but i was moving well enough.

Sarah and Carole appeared at the top of the climb before the final summit rise with a drink and a gel on offer. I took it because it was there rather than because i felt like i needed it. That was probably my main mistake of the day. Shortly after that, i started to run on the final climb and was overcome with an awful stitch. Despite strong and willing legs, i had to walk up to the checkpoint across the plateau. I was preparing for a dissapointing split time for the climb but was astounded to see 36mins on the watch. Perhaps that section across the slabs went better than I thought?

Just a 5 mile tricky descent to go and 47 mins to make the four hour barrier. If i had have been simply tired, i'd have relaxed knowing that sub 4 was on. Hower, the stitch got worse and soon runners were streaming past. If i stayed like this, i'd miss out. Again, i tried to relax and walked and jogged lightly for about half a mile. It was soooo frustrating. Relaxing worked, it got better and i picked up about 10 places over the start of the limestone section. Suddenly I felt fantastic.

But then the stitch returned and another walk through Sulber Nick meant losing more and more places. A kind lady runner from Ilkley that i passed on the way up Ingleborough stopped to ask if i was OK just at the point when i did feel better. I realised that that the bumbag had been too tight so i took it off and carried it in my hand and ran with Ilkleybird (as I had dubbed her) right to the end. I'd stopped thinking about time until I saw the last marshall on the fell who shouted "1 minute from here!". One look at the watch and i thought he was taking the piss - my watch read 3:52 and that was well inside even my most optimistic hopes.

He wasn't though, and after a surreal run through someone's garden i sauntered across the line absolutely delighted. I still managed a 40 min descent, despite walking some of it. I felt great, my stomach hurt more than my legs and it became clear in that moment that I was on track for a good attempt at the BGR.

Finishing time 3:53:11.

This capped off a good week for me, summarised as follows:

Mon - 5M, 1600' - Moel Famau
Tues - 5M, 1600' - Moel Famau - again
Weds - 6M 2000' - guess where? Ran well..
Thurs - 4M road with A - easy pace
Fri and Sat - rest

Week summary - 44M, @10,000'

w/c 16th April - 10 weeks to go, the calm before the storm...

Arrrrgh, arrrrgh, don't panic, don't panic - 10 weeks to go - that's 70 days. That's 70 days to become a finely tuned, prepared, fit, clued up, cool, calm and collected BGR'er.

Thing is, the BGR has seemed 'ages away' for, well, ages. Now, without exactly being round the corner, it's appreciably close to happening for me to start sorting out some practicalities as well as simply getting fit. I must re-contact my supporters and confirm arrangements this week. I must also ensure Paul's support is factored in. Time to get communicating.

It's also time to step up the training. The next few weeks are going to be tough.

A real mark of progress is that 10,000' a week is not leaving me with aching limbs and an all consuming tiredness. Looking back at this blog and my training log, that's a hell of a statement and shows that i've come a long way.

Touch wood i've been injury free despite this week having seen me put in some very concentrated climbing. Between 7.30pm on Thursday and 2pm on Friday, I climbed 8,600', with most of this climbing done as a run (I ran all 8 railway reps on Thursday night and ran most of the Sedbergh Hills route on Friday). I felt a little heavy legged on Saturday but nothing more. This is a sign that I can pick things up.

After the three peaks this coming Sunday, that's what I'll do. I'd like to take the coming week as a step back week, with a few days rest leading up to Sunday's race. Unlike other years, the 3Ps is not a target race, but confidence is a powerful ally and a good run there will really stoke me up for the tough weeks to come. If I can get near or even under 4 hours for the 3Ps I'll be delighted.

After this week, it's going to be really tough, so I look forward to knocking out 15,000' a week from now until the middle of June. In the meantine, I'll have an easier week and eagerly anticipate one of my favourite races.

This week's summary....

Monday - rest

Tuesday - RC session, 4 * 1km on triangle with steep climb/descent on side of Maiden Castle - felt good and ran well. Held off Andrew which is quite some going (esp as he ran 3.06 at weekend in London!). @1000', 7M

Weds - club committee meeting so could only squeeze in a quick 3M road run, but ran fast and felt quite fresh

Thurs - 8 railways, and incredibly, i ran all the way all 8 times. It was mentally quite tough, but each climb took about 5 mins and although it was barely a run, it was a run nonetheless. Ran for 40 mins afterwards to cool down. 2600' ascent, 8 miles

Fri - Sedbergh Hills race route - 16M 6000'. Trotted round without ever pushing it and felt great. 3hrs 30mins of really enjoyable running. Climbed very well and ran every step up both the big climbs (i.e. Arant Haw and up to the Calf from CP4). Felt fantastic, esp in second half. Only 30 mins slower than when i raced it flat out last August in similar conditions (cool, light wind, misty) which given the easy effort level i applied says plenty about my fitness and gives me a lot of confidence, esp as that was one of my better races.

Sat - In Nottingham

Sun - 8M, 1000' - very very very gentle walk with parents in Derbyshire. Not really sure whether it should count! It is said by many that a day's hillwalking is good training for the BGR but this is pushing it a bit! Needless to say, very easy indeed.

Weekly summary - 10,600' ascent, 42 miles

w/c 9th April – Yeah, but no, but yeah, but...

Someone I haven't seen for a while asked me at Llantysilio how i was doing in preparing for the BGR. He meant, 'how is the training going?' or 'how fit are you?' I'm sure, but the poor sod tapped into a bit of a psycho-analysis of how upping the training seems to sap your ability to enjoy other things. I’m enjoying it all, but I do feel really flat and listless between runs.

Someone else collared me after the race when i was knackered and asked, "So Mark, BG training going well?" Puffing and panting, all i could come up with was, "Yeah, but no, but yeah..." Vicky Pollard would have been proud.

All this is starting to make me worry that the BGR training is taking its toll – not so much on my body (which seems to holding up well, touch wood) but on everything else. I’ve not been myself recently, but wouldn’t go as far as saying that I feel ‘down’ or anything – it’s a strange feeling that I’ve not encountered before. I’ve been a bit weary during marathon training before, but this is different.

I think more fun is required.

There are plenty of good things to report this week on the running front. I’m climbing well, getting stronger and the endurance is coming along nicely.

Monday – 4M, 1250’ ascent – Simple run from Cilcain up MF and down the CH route – felt really good. Up in 23 mins, didn’t push too hard

Tuesday – 6M, 1450’ ascent – Club session involving 3 railway climbs and some quick descending on Bulkeley Hill and from Peckforton Gap. Ran well up the railway which seemed to get easier each time. Ran all the way up on the third climb and felt great.

Weds – 7.5M, 700’ ascent – Run around Marford quarry and Gresford and felt a bit slow. Much of this was on the road.

Thurs – 6.5M, 800’ ascent – Club session with Dave – various reps. Felt slow to start with and seemed to rally later on. Perhaps I didn’t get any more tired rather than felt fresher? Either way, I ran ok but was happy to stop at the end!

Friday – 5.5M, 1530’ ascent – Ran Llangynhafal Loop route, measured it for Martin (who I saw en route!) with the GPS. Again, felt slow but steady.

Saturday – 11M, @4000’ ascent. Llantysilio. Marked the course with John Lindley early doors and then ran the race in very hot and windless conditions. It was stifling up there but I had a great race. I wasn’t at my best, but happy with 1.02 and 16th place. Pretty good with tired legs.

Sunday – 5M (inc warm up), hilly – Border League 6, Deeside. A bit farcical as no-one knew how far it was – the race was 4.3M and many of us were ready for 5.5M or 10k. Felt tired from the off but happy enough to finish 82nd and average 6.30 pace on a hilly course.

Weekly summary – 43.5 miles, @10,000’ ascent

This coming week I’ll work hard, but will take the weekend off. I might even go out with my old schoolmates in Nottingham and have several too many beers – now that sounds like fun.

w/c 2nd April - Inconveniences and obligations

If the glass were half empty, then this week's training could be summarised by simply stating that it was a so-so period with just about enough climbing (9000') mixed in with a some quality and some rest. Such a summary would also come accompanied by a recommendation to get more climbing in, including some big climbs.

If the glass were half full, a description of this week would all be all about life throwing several reasons not to train at me that were somehow overcome, with each session representing some kind of well-seized opportunity to escape all manner of inconveniences and obligations.

The truth, as ever with these things, lies somewhere between the two, and so I finish this week thankful that I got a half-decent week in, mindful that I need to step it up from here and grateful that things at home and at work are managing to co-exist with training for the BGR - just about...

This week's training has been made all the more diffcult for not having access to my car, which is stuck in Stockport awaiting an expensive repair. This has meant sharing Alison's car, and so it's not been possible to get out to Moel Famau after work and get some mid-week climbing in. We've also had A's parents here helping us work on the house (which really needed it) so getting out over Easter was always going to be tricky.

Knowing all this on Monday, I was not hopeful for the coming week's training and the glass was decidedly half-empty looking.

Monday - rest - bloody car. Gorgeous day and I had to get out to the Peak District and get the thing recovered. All those hills and I'm stood around like a lemon waiting for the AA man.

Tuesday - RC session. Brown Knoll, Duckington, Maiden Castle, Kitty Stone, Bickerton, back along the road to the sandy car park, short fast reps, back to BK over the hills. 7 miles and about 800' ascent.

Weds - Spring 5 road race - couldn't get out to hills as was reliant on A's car, and she wanted to do this. I ran OK but heart was never in it. 31.40 - not quite a pb, but i didn;t give it everything. Encouraging fast last mile and a decent time for a half-hearted run on tired legs, but I couldn't help selfishly thinking about the climbing I could have been doing!

Thurs - 7 * railway reps, straight up and down. 700 metres of climbing, which is @2300'. Felt great, and bizarrely, ran further up the railway each time before walking. Much to my amazement, I ran all the way up on the 7th ascent, although it was a very slow run. I would have done more, but it got dark. The railway is an excellent way of cramming lots of steep climbing (and decending!) into a short space of time. I will use it more. Next time I'll do 8...

The crucial point here was that I went off on my own, away from the group, and did what I needed to do. As the BGR approaches, I will have to do this more and more. Consequently, I'm going to step away from taking the Tuesday sessions for a time. It is a little selfish, but I need to concentrate on getting my legs really attuned to steep climbing and I must not inflict that sort of training on those that will not benefit from it. I'm sure the club will share the load out and keep Tuesdays going.

Fri - A's folks here and so it was a day for decorating. It was a stunning day, and it was hard to keep looking out of the window! I had resigned myself to not getting out, esp as A's parents were working so hard on, well, everything! However, we reached a point in the early evening where we couldn't progress until the paint had dried so rather than just watch it, I threw some studs in my bag and shot off to MF for a quick hour's run. I felt guilty all the way there in the car, but as soon as I got out and ran it was a blessed relief. Work and home (and automobile) have all been stressful this week and boy did I need this run.

I ran up Moel Famau direct from Cilcain and felt very powerful - bounding up the really steep steps halfway up. I met another runner up there who was new to these parts. He wanted to get back to Cilcain so i showed him the nicer descent via the Clywdian Hills route - so that was my good deed for the day. All in, about 4 miles and 1200' ascent.

I wore the mudclaw O330's and they were really uncomfortable. It seems the hard packed stuff 'pushes' the studs back up into your feet and i got a nasty bruise on the underside.

Sat - no running, loads of housey stuff to do. Living room looks great now!

Sun - Long run, 14M and 5000' in just over three hours on Clwydian Hills. Started in bottom car park and ran straight up, descended towards top car park and picked up Hotfoot route down and up to the hill fort (ran all the way up that bugger) and then down and up the gully (walked small stretch of that) before visiting the summit again. Then dropped down on bridleway to Clwyd side and ran along the bottom to Llangynhafal and climbed back up the ridge from there. Back along the ridge (saw Steve Bellis plus lost lamb!) and followed Clwydian Hill route down that lovely decent and then back up the grooved path to the ridge. Ascended MF again (saw Steve again!) and then dropped back to car.

Was back home for 12, which was useful as got loads of housey stuff done in the pm.

Wore Swoops (very comfy). Also took new Foretrex GPS. Tried marking the summit of MF with the GPS and getting it to 'take' me back there later. It worked well and I look forward to getting Paul to give me a masterclass (oh, and all of his BGR summits and landmarks data!).

So in the end, I got a good week in despite not having my car and having to get shed loads done in the house. No complaints, but I do need to try and get more done as the weeks progress.

Week summary - 9300', 38 miles

w/c 26th March - time to take stock

I think i'm probably half way through the BGR training now, at least in terms of days and weeks. I'm not fooling myself though; there are many more miles ahead than have passed.

Still, with the BGR recently recced in one outing and with the onset of some seriously springlike weather, it's probably not a bad time to reflect on how things are going and what I have learned. It's also a good time to challenge a few of the assumptions that I've made about preparing for this round, not least in relation to its impact on others.

In no particular order, here's a few rules of thumb that have come to be part of life when preparing for the BGR:

• Build up to the big training weeks
• Stretch often, but don't overdo it
• Eat plenty of good food
• See a physio regularly, even if you have no obvious symptoms - just get an 'MOT'
• Check shoes regularly and replace when needed - both road and fell
• Rest one day/week and slip in an occasional easier week
• Slip in some cross training now and again, esp upper body stuff
• Listen to youy body and don't be afraid to back off, esp during a tough session with your peers
• Warm up and warm down
• Don't neglect speedwork...
• ...but focus on feet climbed rather than distance run
• Long days are KEY, without them you will fail
• Practice vaious foods on the hill, and perfect the art of muching as you climb
• Don't try any new foods on the day
• Recce, recce and recce some more, esp in bad weather and at night where needed
• Stay positive - the mind is a seriously powerful thing
• Get out in all weathers
• Get plenty of sleep

And most importantly, as this week in particular has taught me,

• The BGR takes an unusual amount of time to prepare for and you can be forgiven some extra indulgence - but it is not an excuse to neglect the needs of loved ones.
  
  (Alison's 'admin error' re the FLM will seem funny after she's breezed around the course at Stratford, but she needed more support than she got last week, and that was because of this BGR business. I'll be putting that right this coming week.)

Generally, things on the training front are going well. No DOMS after last week's efforts and a good run at Kinder Downfall, despite tired legs and sore feet.

A feature of this training week was lots of running but no long runs - a shift towards more quality. Long runs are vital but I think this was a canny week's training after the long days of last week which has provided a good balance.

Mon - rest

Tues - RC - 6 miles. Off road with the club, took it easy and let others do the efforts. Recovery run. right calf niggly. Probably about 600'

Weds - Straight up and down Moel Famau from lower car park. Saw Steve Bellis. Up and back inside half an hour - felt strong but took it easy - calf still a bit funny. 4M 1000'

Thursday - RC - 8 miles. Felt great - Harthill to Raw Head via steep slope and steps. Onto cornfield and some triangles there - felt OK. Ran back to club on TT route nice and steady. Probably 700'

Friday - Moel Famau and back up the ridge from the Clywd side. About 6 miles and 1600' - one hour. Felt good all the way round, calf much better.

Sat - 9 miles and 2800' - Horseshoe pass along ridge to end and back again. Ran all the way - getting better and running the steeper climbs. Pushed hard up Moel y Gamelin

Sun - KINDER DOWNFALL - 10 miles, 2500'. Ran 1:26? Around 60th from 250 - a good result for me, more so on tired legs. Fast decent hurt the calf so i backed off, which probably copst me a minute ot 2. Wanted to run with Martin on the way down but felt safer preserving the calf - was pleased to pass him earlier as he's a strong guy but he flew past me on that runnable section. C'est la vie.

Have also bid for a GPS (foretrex) and bought a Myo XP headtorch - quite like the kit buying bit of the BGR prep!

Weekly total - probably about 9000' and 35 miles - but plenty of qualty in there