Happy New Year - 2012 Plans and a trip to Edale from Disley.



Chinley (Kinder Scout in background)



Christmas was predictably full of excess but not of the athletic kind. Too many nights out and too little running resulted in weight gain and lack of fitness. Although not a training run I did manage a walk from Disley to Edale on the 2nd January following the Bullock Smithy Route which ended in a run for the train. Pictures of the route illustrate this post. The weather was good but very wet underfoot. i walked with my partner from the Moorside Hotel over Chinley Churn up Edale Cross and on to Edale station. In addition to the Edale walk I have done a bit of post Christmas running staggering. I have struggled round two five mile circuits in Grantham since new year and am waiting for that happy time when a five mile run seems relatively easy so I can get back into a proper training routine. At the moment its hard I'm paying the price.



2012

The year's first big challenge will be the Virgin London Marathon in April. I have entered the Stamford St Valentines 30k, the Sleaford Half Marathon and will probably enter the Ashby 20 mile race in preparation for London. I am also likely to do the Grantham Ultra running Nottingham to Grantham and back again the next day. In addition I am hoping to do more speed work ahead of London possibly with Grantham AC on a Tuesday evening.



The path up to Edale Cross



After London I hope to 'run further' this year. I have registered for the LDWA 100 mile event in May. this year's event begins in central London to celebrate the Olympic Games, 100 miles later the course ends in Windsor. A London event is unusual for the 100 with rural settings preferred in previous years. I don't know if I can run 100 miles but I know that many people do so many times during the year so its time to have a go. Jez Bragg and Lizzie Hawker are perhaps Britain's most prolific ultra racers of the moment both regularly running 100 miles or more and often using their talents overseas. It's inspirational following such exploits. This year Jez Bragg will against race again in the US Western States 100 mile race, one of the toughest ultras in the world and he will also compete again in the UTMB. The Americans seem to have a much more active Ultra running scene and 100 mile races are common. Mark Hartell (another top British Ultra runner) and his friends have created a UK ultra running series which has been growing in popularity over the past few years. This year my favourite event, the Bullock Smithy is back within the series and hopefully more of the top ultra runners will be attracted to the event as result. Last years record by James Scott Buccleuch will be difficult to beat but having the Bullock Smithy in the Ultra series ensures a popular and exciting event.

I have also committed to running with Grantham AC in the Thunder Run I have never run a 24 hour relay before but I am assured that the event is a running spectacle and I look forward to taking part. In addition to the major events, London, 100, TR and the Bullock Smithy, there will no doubt be many other fun events along the way starting with the Ropsley Raid 13 mile event next Sunday. Happy running in 2012 I hope that all readers of the blog achieve their goals and have fun along the way. Keep on running!