Bronte Way

Miles to date: 958
Races to date: 34 
£££ to date: £987 + £65 cash offline - £1052 

Well the 1000th mile is very nearly with me now! I've had to start really thinking about how many miles I am doing to limit them as every mile brings me closer at a pace a bit faster than I had planned. I really want my 1000th mile to be with some of the wonderful people who have encouraged, supported, cajoled and helped me along the way throughout this challenge so need to make sure I reach it on the 10th November and not before! I thought I had planned it out so that, if I pushed myself a bit harder, the 10th was a good target but over the last couple of months my runs seem to have crept up in their mileage from 5 to 6 to 7 and weekly totals are mostly now over 25 and increasing 30+. That does give me a real sense of how I have progressed since I started this madness. I might still be slow and I may still run a lot fewer miles than some reading this but I am immensely satisfied with what I can now do. 

I've even managed to get down to the Club for a few Thursday night training sessions in the last few weeks. What a fantastic place it is on a Thursday! A complete hive of activity with multiple junior sessions, at least 4 different senior groups from the serious elite mixed up with those just starting out it's a great atmosphere. I've also been amazed at just how much I hurt afterwards! I did a beginners speed session a couple of weeks ago - short sprints in pyramids, pushing yourself as fast as you can. I could barely move the next day! I'm told it will do me good though - thanks Kim! 

I've had a couple of good, fast (for me) runs in London, one in company, thanks to Mr Wild. I find it very intimidating and anxiety inducing running with new people. Will I be able to keep up? Will they expect me to talk and run? So far, I've enjoyed every run with a new person so don't really know what I'm bothering about. I still do though! Last weeks companion led me round a scenic tour of London Bridges, along stretches of the Thames and weaving through back streets where the river paths vanished. At roughly 8.5 minute mile pace for almost 7 miles we did talk and I had a geography lesson on the construction of the landscape - having never realised how the rivers curve and bridge placements work so all routes lead back to Elephant and Castle maybe I won't take such circuitous routes to venues in the future! I had a real buzz when we got back - a fast run and good company along a new route. Thanks Richard, see you in a couple of weeks! 

This Sunday was the Bronte Way. An 8 mile race organised by our club and a route that I've run a few times with Blue as a training run / dog walk. It's unusual as it's a linear point to point race, starting out in Lancashire at Wycoller Park the route is a mix of trail and fell with some fabulously boggy bits and steepish descents to slither down! Finishing up the steep cobbles of Haworth main street amidst the tourists who look a bit askance at bedraggled, mud covered, vest clad runners who have to force themselves up the last few metres to finish with a bottle of Timothy Taylors!

Simon has hurt his ankle again - mainly due to no training or strengthening exercises and only racing so no sympathy please it'll only make him worse! To stop him from racing he decided to commit to running this one with me. We do run a bit together mostly with Blue but Simon's forte isn't training or running when it's not a race he doesn't tend to do as many miles as me it's just that the miles he does run he runs faster in races!! He had decided that he would attempt to push me to run faster than I would usually. Obviously when I'm running in races normally I don't  try to run as fast as I can. 

The start of the Bronte Way is a fairly unpleasant mile or so up a steadily inclining track. It's not hugely steep but it just keeps going up. At Simon's instigation we started further forward than I would normally and the pace at the start was way beyond my comfort zone. Mostly men, huffing, puffing, some tutting as they ran round and past me. My start was faster than normal but not a pace I could sustain for very long. Gradually I dropped back to a place in the field where I could at least breath, or try to! My breathing was the worst it's been for a long time and I really struggled to get into a rhythm. I've had an underlying cold for a week or so, nothing bad enough to make me poorly but enough to make breathing a bit harder than I would like.  As soon as the uphill track finally ended and we turned across on to the fell I felt better. 

The middle section is classic fell, little single track paths through heather moor, up and down gullies, wading through bogs, lots of styles and wall crossings. This is the sort of running I love and am probably at my strongest. I passed a few runners who had passed me earlier and I gradually pulled myself further forward until I found a fellow Keighley runner - Diane, who is a road runner on the fells under sufferance (or so she says!). I passed her at a particularly boggy section where I ploughed straight on through leaving Diane behind to delicately pick her way over! 
"It's all right for you Fell runners" she shouted as I ran off across the knee deep bog. 
I managed to keep in front of her as I used all of my off road techniques to get up and down the very muddy and wet fields and fells, keeping a steady pace and really stretching out down the hills. Until we reached the metalled road when Diane's road experience and speed lifted her up and she trotted past me and away putting a minute or so between us. 
"It's all right for you road runners" I retorted to her quickly disappearing back! 

At Ponden Reservoir - thanks for the encouragement Mrs Newbold x

We dropped down and along the side of Ponden Reservoir. Whilst everyone else seems to be able to up their pace once they hit the tarmac I just want to stop! I had twisted my ankle as we came through a gate on the tops and I was desperate to find a stream or deep puddle to stick my foot in to try and limit the swelling. By the time we started to pull up on the hill to Bronte moor I had splashed through a dozen potholes and the pain in my ankle had subsided enough to know I could carry on. 

Caught eating jelly babies on Penistone - cheers Mr Woodhead x 

The final pull up on to the top hurt but I did close the gap a bit that Diane had managed to put between us. As we dropped down to Bronte Falls I knew we only had a couple of miles left and this path is very familiar to me. Emma came past me on the track shouting that we were going to break 1hour 30minutes and to come on! I tried to pick up my pace to keep up with her fast disappearing heels but all my energy and strength seemed to be ebbing away. This last section is easy, I run it all the time with Blue. It's not far. It's mostly flat. Why on earth wouldn't my legs work? Diane W steam rollered past me with such a steady and solid gait. They both set off a pace across Penistone Moor as I scrambled to find jelly babies and glucose tablets to attempt to dig the last mile out of my fast fading body. Mr and Mrs Woodhead were hidden at the top, shielded by a leafless tree and sheltering from the steady drizzle ready to point their cameras at unsuspecting jelly baby scoffing runners!!! 

Mind over matter and we finally ran through Weavers Hill car park, dropping down into the village to start the last 100 metres of torture up the cobbles. It was a fantastic feeling and I have no idea where I found the last dregs of energy but I did run every step up those cobbles and managed to squeak over the finish line at 1hour 29minutes 34seconds - a result I am very happy with! 

The rest of this week is a busy one! The Howler tonight, night race on Thursday (note to self: time to stock up on batteries), Shepherds Skyline on Saturday and Cop Hill, Meltham on Sunday. Saturdays race will mark my first full year fell running - Shepherds Skyline was my first race so I'll be trying to make sure I push for a time that shows some improvement in the last 12 months! 

Don't forget it would be fabulous to see you if you can join us on Saturday 10th November 2012, 10:30am start at The Fishermans Inn, Wagon Lane, Bingley for a social trot out up to Baildon moor. Fancy dress optional!! You'll also be very welcome to keep some seats warm in the Fishermans if you don't fancy running!

Big big thanks to Tizz for the lovely card and cash, Kim who as well as making me hurt also tipped the fundraising over the £1000 mark with her cash donation.  
Camille, Schwampy and Mother, Val, Noreen, Sue H, Lisa Smedley, Deborah and Stu Walton and Vicky Young who have all made fabulous donations online in the last couple of weeks - thank you all so very much you really have helped to motivate and push me out in all weathers! 

www.justgiving.com/teams/1000miles 

42 to go ...... 

A perfect day for Withens Skyline

Miles to date: 930 
Races to date: 33 
££ to date: £892 (inc £45 cash offline) www.justgiving.com/teams/1000miles

Withens Skyline Fell Race - this is a beautiful, 6.5mile loop running out from Penistone Hill up t'Stoop, o'er t'moor, on t'Top Withens and back via Bronte Falls. This years race was a stunner. The day glorious in autumnal sunshine and unseasonably hot! 

I really didn't feel great. We'd been partying the night before (thanks Sian and Tony) which obviously required the consumption of a few glasses of the red stuff. I'd also had a sore throat for most of the week and niggling cold like symptoms which were clearly additional to the 'hangover like' symptoms the red stuff had caused. Add in to the mix some sleep deprivation and it was the perfect cocktail for assembling at the start of this little race! 

It was a great turn out and totally different atmosphere to usual. No one was hopping from foot to foot, the air wasn't hanging frozen as your breath left your body, that yellow golden orb hanging low in the sky was caressing everyone in a big warm hug! Lots of happy, smiley faces and the chitter chatter of folks who haven't seen each other since the last time they were stood around on a moor anticipating the torture to come. 

I paid no attention at the start, other than to note the distinct lack of fancy Hallowe'en dress, and as a result set off further back in the field than my plan which had been to stick tight to the Crabtree woman (hadn't told her that though)! Leaving the quarry and setting off at a stop start pace held by the bottle necking as the pack moved through the winding, hole filled, muddy path I did wonder why I'd set off. 

Breathing over the first two or three miles was a bit of a problem. My nose didn't work, my lungs felt constantly empty and I developed a stitch in my shoulder (I now have the explanation for that thanks C). The ground was wonderfully spongy with bog in bogs and more boggyness filled with liquid peat and moss covered lagoons of muddiness. The great bonus of running towards the back of a fell race is jumping through peat bogs churned up by 500+ feet! 

As we climbed up toward the Stoop I found some hidden energy and found myself gaining on Camille who was elegantly wading through patches of knee deep moss bog. However, my lack of any breakfast left me with nothing as she pulled away on the flat past the Stoop and across the waterlogged peat to Withens. 

I run up there a lot with Blue and I can't but help smile at just how astoundingly beautiful it is and we had a picture perfect day lending a view across miles and miles into the distance. I found my legs as we left the ruin at Top Withens and set off down to Bronte Waterfalls. I found myself passing Lorna, a friend and slightly younger Keighley member but a much better runner than me. Once in front of her I found something in me that kept me going - perhaps I was having a better run than I had thought! I could see Camille just in front and as I climbed up the side of the waterfall I caught sight of the lovely Mrs Newbold. Buoyed I climbed well but as I hit the flat moor at the top I crashed! 

The final furlong with some amazing support from friends and spectators - thanks everyone! 

No breakfast was a terrible idea! I had absolutely nothing left in me. Last nights wine had got me this far but even that volume of calories had run out. Lorna bounced past me as we approached the end of the fell - such energy! The last mile or so felt like wading through treacle. My legs were leaden, feet dragging but the support, cheers and claps as I struggled up the hill to the finish - all hope of catching anyone vanished into another pipe dream - was just fabulous. Thank you so much - especially to Jath who cheered "the scary lady" - made me smile a lot!!! 

Joe, Katie, Caren, Dave and yours truly - very scary! Thanks to Dave Woodhead for another classic picture!  

Perhaps I should have said earlier - I ran as a Vampire in full face paint, glittering in the sunshine. I did win a prize ... for the fancy dress - the only one daft enough! 

To finish I must say thanks to everyone who has sponsored me so far and a particularly massively enormous bucketful of thanks to Vodka - you star mate - I'll get you up P-y-G next month. And extra thanks with a hug to Frances for her second donation in memory of her friend - you're a special lady Fran x 

Simon and I taking in the sun watching the Quarry runs

70 miles to go .......

Headtorches along the home straight

Miles to date: 908
Races to date: 32 (nothing new since my last blog)
££ to date: £717 (inc £35 cash offline) 

Headtorch running is back with us. Winter seems to have landed with a bump but in between the torrential downpours that have left paths on the moor as knee deep streams we have had some of the most crystal clear and perfect days. 
I've really tried to get out on these glorious days to soak up the Autumnal sunshine and explore moorland paths that I haven't roamed along before. These pictures are from a trot out that took us from home up on to Penistone moor, out to Bronte Falls, over part of the Bronte Way before cutting off to the right to contour round Ponden Clough. 









At the head of the Clough (Blue had a well deserved paddle and drink in the stream) we bore left, past the grouse butts, to go up and across the open moor. Following sheep tracks and running over tussocks and heather covered moorland we reached the rock strewn 'summit'. 

Looking out up north to see Whernside in the far distance and west across Lancashire with not a soul in sight. The clouds hanging like candy floss in a Simpsons sky - just how lucky am I to be able to run here from my front door! 

It's not all been picture postcard days - if only. The last few weeks I've mainly run on my own, after work, in the dark and rain, headtorch on. I've gone out and run when I really didn't want to and had a fantastic time trotting through bogs up to me bum with Blue tearing across sodden peat moor. I've gone out when I really didn't want to and hated it, headtorch has run out of battery leaving me stumbling around in the pitch black in the middle of the moor, Blue has been an overexcited pain pulling and racing off in the opposite direction - trust me 'dog assisted' running really isn't a help when it's 6stone pulling against you in any direction except the one you want to go in.    

But I've still gone out and run - I wouldn't have done without this challenge pushing me on and the support and encouragement I've had from so many people but especially KCAC friends (both past and present members!). 

The Club has regular sessions every Tuesday and Thursday which I have never been too, well apart from 7 / 8 years ago when I went with Ben and Rosie to chat to the other Mum's and watch! I've managed to get down to 2 recently - both of which were just great! Somehow I landed on 'speed' sessions for both - something I really don't do!  Tarmac and sprinting or sustained fast running are really not for me! What was brilliant was being part of the atmosphere - it is a fabulous club to be part of as everyone is encouraged, supported and helped to beat their own demons, achieve their own challenge and, most of all, have fun trying! 

A chaotic week involving the Daughter having her appendix removed plus other family events meant I had some unexpected time off work and a London free week. This fortuitously chance to join one of the regular Wednesday club social runs. I've never managed to get to one of these but what a lovely evening run with fabulous people including meeting the infamous Derby Tup - a pleasure Sir. I have not a clue where we went as Blue and I followed Emily and it was dark! Our headtorches found the monument above Kildwick with a short pause for collective admiration of the new Jubilee inscriptions in the rock. It was a real treat to have such great company for a mid week run. Blue thoroughly enjoyed having many bottoms to sniff and feet to chase! 

Thanks to the amazing Andy Holden for this memory of the Rombalds Romp

So, come join me for the 1000th mile run - I really can't quite get my head round this being just round the corner. When I decided to try and do this 1000 mile challenge last Christmas I had envisaged me spending most of my Christmas holiday in 2012 desperately trying to finish. I planned for at least 6 weeks of not being able to run and aimed at an average of 20 miles per week. As it is, I've only had 3 weeks where I haven't been able to run due to injury, illness and a Skiing trip. My average mileage is working out at 22 miles per week with some weeks topping 30+ miles. 

To celebrate my 1000th mile and say thanks for all of the support, encouragement I've had, the new friends I've made and the experiences this challenge has brought me throughout the year we're planning a 1000th mile social run - if you're reading this and you can get to Bingley on the 10th November for 10:30am please come and join us - run, trot, walk, bring your dog, children, anyone who wants to join in! Matt and Roy at the The Fisherman Inn, Wagon Lane, are kindly supporting me to mark this achievement by giving us the use of the pub to set off from and finish at. The route(here) will be almost the same as the Bingley Harriers Vs Cyclists race (same day, same venue, different time) just a slightly different start to take account of the private land the race route runs through. If you're able to join us it would be wonderful to see you, even better if you fancy donning a tutu or other fancy dress!  

Next races - it's a busy few weeks coming up! 
Withens Skyline - 21st October - a Woodentops race organised by the fabulous Dave and Eileen Woodhead. The route is fabulous and one that I've run a few times with Blue. 

Bronte Way - 28th October, a KCAC organised race. Last year I was too apprehensive and unsure of my own ability to have a go at this so instead I helped at the finish clocking runners over the line. This year I'm really looking forward to the final torture of running up the cobbles on main street, followed by a beer at the finish! 

Shepherds Skyline - 3rd November - a Todmorden Harriers race - this was my first fell race last year and I loved all of it, even the muddy knee deep slurry as you ascend from London Road! It will be interesting to see if my time has improved over the last 12 months. 

Cop Hill - 4th November - Meltham AC - this will be a great race, running around my old stomping ground (we used to live over in Marsden)

Hhhmm two races in a weekend plus a family party inbetween - not sure how that's all going to go but we'll give them a try and hope for the best! 

Into double figures now the next few weeks will be a different challenge, many races, lots of darkness, wet, cold and batteries! Can't wait!

My usual reminder of the Just Giving page - if you can spare a few pennies both Asthma UK and Manorlands will put them to good use helping to change and improve the lives of so many - www.justgiving.com/teams/1000miles