2012 Stockport 10

A few photographs from yesterday's race starting in Woodbank Park...me and Tim were there providing pre and post race sports massage so apologies for not capturing many of you at the finish as we were busy working then!

Apologies if photos aren't in the right order, blogger yet again proves annoyingly difficult to move photos!

Runner Profile Number 2: Tom Skelton

Name: Thomas Skelton

Age: 31

How long a member of Glossopdale Harriers? : Just under 2 years

Favourite Band : RATM

Best Film : Amelie

Favourite Food : Curry (The hotter the better)

3 song running playlist:
 Pendulum - Self vs Self
Muse - Survival
Pendulum - 9000 miles

Most Informative Running Book: Born to Run (I'm yet to read Survival of the Fittest or Feet in the Clouds)

Sporting Role Models: Too many to name!

Favourite Race / Races : Kinder Trog & Kinder Downfall

Best training tip for other harriers : Get a dog! 

2013 Running Goals: Sub 19 min 5k, sub 40 min 10k

Comfiest Running Shoes: Inov8 MudRoc 290

Favourite Night Out : Just being out in a nice warm pub with good company

Top Tipple: Laphroaig quarter cask

Pre-race breakfast : Porridge with raisins 

Race you would like to see brought back : No idea!

Evening before race meal : Thin crust fajita chicken pizza! 

Runner Profile Number 1: Quickdraw McGraw

Name: Neil McGraw.

Age: Nearly 40.

How long a member of Glossopdale Harriers? : 30 years on and off.

Favourite Band : Stone Roses.

Cardington Cracker 2012

Best Film : The Italian Job.

Favourite Food : Buffets :-)

3 song running playlist:
 Portrait of Red by The Virginmarys.
 Get you rocks off by Primal Scream.
 Holding out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler.

Most Informative Running Book: The Art of Running Faster by Julian Goater.

Sporting Role Models: The Brownlee Brothers / Marianne Vos.

Favourite Race / Races : Tankys Trog, National Cross Country Championships.

Best training tip for other harriers : Interval training is the quickest way to improve your personal bests.

2013 Running Goals: Sub 40 minute 10k, 70% age rating at park run and complete a mountain marathon.

The exfoliating qualities of cross country running

Comfiest Running Shoes: Nike Free Run V3 5.0.

Favourite Night Out : Music Festivals especially Glastonbury.

Top Tipple: Hot Vimto.

Pre-race breakfast : Corporation Pop (plus porridge if race going to be longer 2 hours.)

Race you would like to see brought back : Werneth Low Half Marathon.


Evening before race meal : Globe chickpea curry and rice.

The Ageing Runner

There comes a time to all runners when personal bests are no longer possible; for most runners this is almost exclusively an age-related issue when dealing with the physical and mental issues of managing performance deterioration becomes increasingly more important. Having had twenty years experience of this, I feel qualified to pass on some thoughts on the subject which may or may not interest other runners either in or approaching this phase of their running life.

Being a relatively late starter to running at the age of 32, I felt that I was on a generally upward curve of performances until I was 45.   For me this applied especially on the fells where arguably there is a longer apprenticeship to go through than say on the road. What follows is not based on a scientific analysis or indeed has any claim on being prescriptive: it is merely anecdotal. a summary of what I did and what worked for me.

To be able to run into my senior years and remain competitive, I felt I had to reduce my weekly mileage. Having run to and from work for many years, I began to cycle in instead. I resisted the urge to run every day. As I retired from work at the age of 58, I had more time on my hands to become almost effectively a full-time athlete. This involved running, cycling, long-distance walking, swimming, going to the gym (great in winter and when injured) and more recently spinning sessions.

On this training regime, I had to give up the longer races and aim almost exclusively at shorter races. To keep up the interest and motivation, variety was key for me. I have raced on the road, trail, fell, country and more recently in the parks! If a personal best is not possible, then a seasons best is a great alternative. Park runs are great source of motivation for me and have the added bonus of age-related scores also. I sometimes take on an occasional longer race, particularly those in our own club champs and try to increase my mileage in the build up. Anyone who saw me struggling up to Big Stone in this years Kinder Trog would testify to how little I had left in the tank!

I err on the side of caution and try to stay injury free because coming back from injury gets that much more difficult. I try to pay a lot more attention to warming up and stretching on the warm downs.  I also am a convert to and advocate of foam rollering (thanks Neil, Tim and Lynne!) If I am injured, I try to isolate the injury and keep on exercising either in the pool or in the gym. I also try to stay positive because noting gradual progress on the comeback is much more motivating than managing the inevitable deterioration even if you avoid injury!

I am motivated by the competition in such a vibrant club as ours. It's always nice to have blue and orange vests to aim for whether in my age-group or not! I always try to do as many of our club championship races as I can and look keenly at my relative positions in Charlie's immaculately kept tables!

After 28 years as a mid-pack runner with no victories or prizes, I eventually started to pick up one or two in the age-group categories. I never ran for all those years with prizes in mind, so when they did start to come along at the fag end of my running career, they are more keenly welcomed and relished. Keeping going, staying fit and competitive allows you to be in it to win it.

Finally, I have always tried to remember that running is a sport and not necessarily to be taken too seriously. I try not to get upset with a poor result; I just vow to do better next time. Times don't matter as much as performances. I try to savour every race as though it were my last. I try to live life to the full and don't bother counting either calories or units. I would like to say everything in moderation but that would not be true for me all of the time!  I feel it is more important to feel good about yourself because running is to be enjoyed, embraced and savoured.

FRA Relays 2012

A few photos...sorry they're out of order...I did try to put them in order but spent ages on it and just haven't any more time to fiddle!! Please feel free to re-sort if you've time!

 

Knoydart Trip

It was an excited small group of Glossopdale Harriers aboard the first ferry of the morning from Mallaig across Loch Nevis to Inverie. Neil and I had spent the previous day on Ben Nevis in excellent weather, Carl and Beryl had been Munro bagging on the the Grey Corries whilst Rod and Ali had travelled up the previous day.

Aware of the forecast for poor weather later in the afternoon, we dumped our gear in the bunkhouse en route for Sgurr Coire Choinnichean, the Corbett above Inverie. After a stiff climb to the top up the ridge, we descended through some giant-size bracken to meet the others arriving on later ferries, before they too embarked on brief sorties prior to the onset of the rain.

After we had examined our nearest and dearest for ticks, there followed some delicate minor surgery by those unfortunately afflicted. At night we were treated to Adele's excellent sausage casserole followed by Alistair's delicious fresh fruit meringue dish as well as John's alcoholic chocolates and liqueurs.

There followed an eventful nights sleep, including an unscheduled visit from the Knoydart Knobbler, (ask any of us if you really want to know more!) In the morning the windy, wet weather dictated lower level runs. This proved to be a 15 mile circuit to the northern coast with two groups setting off on clockwise and anti-clockwise routes meeting near a difficult river crossing. This proved to be impossible the following day when Adele decide to pay a return visit.

A group of us had a meal in the Old Forge at night, the self-styled 'Most remote pub in mainland Britain' with T-shirts and other related memorabilia for anyone interested. The venison stew, the Mallaig haddock and the mussels seemed to be the pick of the menu with Glenfinnan Gold the real ale of choice.

It was a later start the following day until the morning rain relented. We split into five groups, with my group heading up the Mam Barrisdale track en route for some more bracken-bashing, swollen-stream crossings and waterfall viewing. As we crossed the ridge we spotted Julien's group below in Glen Guiserein en route for Ladhar Bheinn. We were lucky enough also to spot a golden eagle and herds of deer during our run. On our return to the bunkhouse, we showered and washed our gear before swapping tales of our respective routes in front of the roaring log-fire. The lounge was festooned with more kit than a Pete Bland stall with every drying space utilised with newspaper-stuffed running-shoes vying for places near the fire. At night we were feasted on Neil's Glossopdale Communal Chilli followed by John and Sheila's moreish cake.

We were all determined to make the best of our last (and best weather)  day in this superb area, with Julien's yellow jersey group going for two Munros and a Corbett, the peleton settling for two Munros, with the grandparents' grupetto heading up Glen Meadail to Meall Buidhe. An unforgettable day was enjoyed by all including a well-co-ordinated meeting between two of the groups on top of the Munro (see picture). The peleton, including the tireless Elsa (pictured), arrived on top some time later having been delayed by several photo stops on Loony Bin.(see picture). An excellent run off down the ridge from our Munro (see picture) was followed by bog-snorkelling in the rice plantations at the bottom of the descent and for some, an impromptu swim in the River Inverie.

These and other highlights were discussed at an end-of-trip bash in the pub, where Dave was presented with a bottle of malt for his superb organisation. Despite the initial inclement weather, ticks and midges, we all enjoyed good running and walking in excellent company with everyone contributing in some way to this never-to-be forgotten adventure in this magical place.

Thanks to Alex, Chris and Matt for their photos.