[Monolith]

Not chronically so Tom but both knees have been sore of late. My new road bike arrives next week and the plan is to condition the legs a bit more on the bike as opposed to ongoing pavement pounding mid week. We'll see how that works out anyway!

[Mr_Cus]

Did Grindleford fell race yesterday. Bloody great.  It was so wet that after the swollen river crossing at the end you didn't feel any wetter!
Good way to clean the mud off though.

Totley Blackamoor next week but I'm a bit scared, it looks hard.

[steveri]

V3k yesterday, across the Welsh 3000s - a right monster that finally caught up with me on the last 3 mile descent to the end - such sore quads. Took me 5 mins this morning to get dressed in shorts and a t shirt. Oh and the stairs. The horror.

[T_B]

 

Totley Blackamoor next week but I'm a bit scared, it looks hard.

Recced the course today. It's really fast (too fast for me with recovering hammy tear!), so nowhere you can walk and get a breather ;-) It'll be totally dry by Thurs too.

[T_B]

V3k yesterday, across the Welsh 3000s - a right monster that finally caught up with me on the last 3 mile descent to the end - such sore quads. Took me 5 mins this morning to get dressed in shorts and a t shirt. Oh and the stairs. The horror.

Effort, that looks well 'ard. Are you doing any other Skyrunning races this year?

[steveri]

I wasn't but a couple of friends were hard selling the Lakes one. Probs not...

[Monolith]

Given that it's a pain in the derriere to keep driving 30 mins to the nearest off road hill to perform reps, I've purchased a decent road bike with the intention of using it to both cross train and to develop my overall leg strength. Have many here found the bike to be of significant benefit to their fell running? South Liverpool has a few long drag road hills and I'm guessing these will be of use.

I've taken the last month off to totally rest my knees after feeling a fair amount of tenderness around the kneecaps. It's very likely that neglecting conditioning is the root cause I'm sure but in any event, it's time to readdress the balance.

[mini]

Have many here found the bike to be of significant benefit to their fell running...?

I do try to do some cycling when I can, especially through summer (defo a fair weather cyclist), and probably not enough to say it appears to directly increase my performance, but it does allow me to increase my general fitness on rest / recovery days without the impact of running itself.

There are notable runners who seem to mix both activities quite well, in particular Rob Jebb, multiple 3 Peaks winner both running and cyclo-cross. If it works for him...

[Stabbsy]

A mate of mine reckons he runs best after a decent amount of cycling - his best 3 Peaks time was after a stint of cycling training with a bit of running thrown in. He's just done Fred Whitton and some ridiculous thing in Spain and come back running as well as ever - 10k PB and best times in various local races. Purely anecdotal, so might be the cycling or might be that we train together two or three lunchtimes a week. Either way, I don't think it would hurt to try.

[steveri]

I think hill cycling and hill running translate pretty well - that's lucky - but flat cycling and flat running have less crossover. Just trying to think of the best of the S Liverpool range but you could maybe try simulating a worse hill by using a bigger gear than comfortable. But then your back onto punishing your knees potentially? Are your knees up to one-legged squats and other stability stuff? Fine control as well as the plain strength you'd get from a gym machine that moves in 2D. Bon chance.

[Monolith]

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated. I'll be sure to report back on my findings over the coming months. Slightly gutted not to be running after recent gains but want to play the long game and get stronger via non/low impact.

As an aside, perhaps in a month or two the UKB Fell Running Posse might like to meet for a trot/pint somewhere? Difficult coordinating diaries I know....

[bigtuboflard]

I'd be good for a social plod to put names to faces if I'm about. Or could tie it to a low key race and plod round that instead?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bigtuboflard]

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated. I'll be sure to report back on my findings over the coming months. Slightly gutted not to be running after recent gains but want to play the long game and get stronger via non/low impact.

As an aside, perhaps in a month or two the UKB Fell Running Posse might like to meet for a trot/pint somewhere? Difficult coordinating diaries I know....

What about the Stoney Middleton race as a meet up? End of this month on 28 July;

http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4480

It's a  Thursday night race, entry on the day so no need to commit in advance, plus opportunity for those that back out at the last minute to get a session at minus 10 instead 

[Stabbsy]

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated. I'll be sure to report back on my findings over the coming months. Slightly gutted not to be running after recent gains but want to play the long game and get stronger via non/low impact.

As an aside, perhaps in a month or two the UKB Fell Running Posse might like to meet for a trot/pint somewhere? Difficult coordinating diaries I know....

What about the Stoney Middleton race as a meet up? End of this month on 28 July;

http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4480

It's a  Thursday night race, entry on the day so no need to commit in advance, plus opportunity for those that back out at the last minute to get a session at minus 10 instead 

I could probably make it down for that and doesn't clash with anything else.

My other thought was meeting somewhere like Pendle - a bit more central for the Lakes/Liverpool/Staffs contingent. I was going to recce the English Champs race route at some point anyway, so could combine the two.

[bigtuboflard]

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated. I'll be sure to report back on my findings over the coming months. Slightly gutted not to be running after recent gains but want to play the long game and get stronger via non/low impact.

As an aside, perhaps in a month or two the UKB Fell Running Posse might like to meet for a trot/pint somewhere? Difficult coordinating diaries I know....

What about the Stoney Middleton race as a meet up? End of this month on 28 July;

http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4480

It's a  Thursday night race, entry on the day so no need to commit in advance, plus opportunity for those that back out at the last minute to get a session at minus 10 instead 

I could probably make it down for that and doesn't clash with anything else.

My other thought was meeting somewhere like Pendle - a bit more central for the Lakes/Liverpool/Staffs contingent. I was going to recce the English Champs race route at some point anyway, so could combine the two.

I'd be more than happy to go to a race near Pendle as can go and visit the old folks in Settle too. Maybe post a few options and be happy to travel there too.

Edit: almost certainly going to do this too http://www.minimountainmarathon.co.uk/details-16th-july-event.html

[Monolith]

Good to see folk are keen. I'll next be doing the Arenig Fawr race on 31/07 but appreciate it's a way to come for most.

Did anybody do Wasdale at the weekend? The race I wanted to do the most but don't have the ascent in my legs at the moment. One for next year.

[Stabbsy]

I'd be more than happy to go to a race near Pendle as can go and visit the old folks in Settle too. Maybe post a few options and be happy to travel there too.

Not exactly Pendle, but how about one of these two :-

Round Hill (7th Aug) - http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4307
Boulsworth Fell (14th Aug) - http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4314

I've done Round Hill before and was planning on doing it again this year, not too hilly but fairly boggy in places at the start and a great descent from the top of Round Hill to the bottom trail. No previous experience of the other one.

[T_B]

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated. I'll be sure to report back on my findings over the coming months. Slightly gutted not to be running after recent gains but want to play the long game and get stronger via non/low impact.

As an aside, perhaps in a month or two the UKB Fell Running Posse might like to meet for a trot/pint somewhere? Difficult coordinating diaries I know....

What about the Stoney Middleton race as a meet up? End of this month on 28 July;

http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4480

It's a  Thursday night race, entry on the day so no need to commit in advance, plus opportunity for those that back out at the last minute to get a session at minus 10 instead 

I might do Stoney but am a bit put off by how much of it is on road? That said, it would probably be good for me. Did Great Hucklow y'day which was a great, albeit v wet and muddy course. I really struggled over the moor and am still running slower than usual (yes, that is very slow ;-)) due to recovering hammy. Good to be back on the horse though  .

[andy_e]

Round hill looks fun, are complete novices allowed to enter?

[T_B]

Good to see folk are keen. I'll next be doing the Arenig Fawr race on 31/07 but appreciate it's a way to come for most.

Did anybody do Wasdale at the weekend? The race I wanted to do the most but don't have the ascent in my legs at the moment. One for next year.

I was thinking about Arenig Fawr, as want to do another AM if I'm going to enter Langdale. My family are all away that weekend, so might be a goer. What puts me off is it looks like a mission to get there (from Sheffield)! May well end up recceing Langdale instead.

My mate did Wasdale and said he was nearly hypothermic by the end. It didn't sound like much fun tbh!

[T_B]

Round hill looks fun, are complete novices allowed to enter?

It says it's partially marked, so I would imagine it will be fairly obvious navigation wise. Depends what you're running background is, but 14Km in a race is not to be sniffed at and with 'only' 335m of ascent it will be fast!

[andy_e]

Got a childhood of orienteering and the nicknames "homing pigeon" and "satnav" so not too worried about the navigation. Other people may be fast, but I'd be happy to get round it!

[Plattsy]

Good to see folk are keen. I'll next be doing the Arenig Fawr race on 31/07 but appreciate it's a way to come for most.

Did anybody do Wasdale at the weekend? The race I wanted to do the most but don't have the ascent in my legs at the moment. One for next year.

I was thinking about Arenig Fawr, as want to do another AM if I'm going to enter Langdale. My family are all away that weekend, so might be a goer. What puts me off is it looks like a mission to get there (from Sheffield)! May well end up recceing Langdale instead.

My mate did Wasdale and said he was nearly hypothermic by the end. It didn't sound like much fun tbh!

Just so you know if you don't already. You could well be asked for previous AL race results/experience from the Langdale organisers.

Definitely worth a recce. The race trod below Esk Pike is horrendous and the nav between Bow Fell and Great Knott can be tricky even in the race when it's strung out. Also shortly after coming off Pike of Blisco there's definite turn left (East) turn. Somebody always heads straight off, be lured by the view straight down Little Langdale. It's a great race.

[T_B]

Ah right. I noticed Borrowdale were asking for a minimum of 2 x AMs. I'll check. I am free the weekend of Holme Moss, but I would have a grim time on that purely down to distance. I've run 20Km since tearing my hamstring 7 weeks ago and it wasn't easy. Obvs hope to be in better shape come October...

It sounds as though it would be wise for me to recce Langdale then.

Or I could just go to the Tor and try link ups 

[bigtuboflard]

I'd be more than happy to go to a race near Pendle as can go and visit the old folks in Settle too. Maybe post a few options and be happy to travel there too.

Not exactly Pendle, but how about one of these two :-

Round Hill (7th Aug) - http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4307
Boulsworth Fell (14th Aug) - http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4314

I've done Round Hill before and was planning on doing it again this year, not too hilly but fairly boggy in places at the start and a great descent from the top of Round Hill to the bottom trail. No previous experience of the other one.

Round Hill looks like a good outing, course and more details on here;

http://otleyac.org.uk/round-hill-fell-race/

Could also combine it with a trip to Almscliff in the afternoon. It's in the diary.