A little more on my first training run with the Glossopdale Harriers. There was an unusually high turn out for this Thursday evening training run, maybe 20 of us. Weirdly there wasn't much demand for a longer A group run, with only about 4 or 5 wanting to split off at the top of Kinder Downfall. Not that it would bother me, those fast guys and girls would be up the hill and off before I was halfway, no chance of me seeing them after the initial few regrouping stops. Or so I thought.
We set off from Bowden Bridge car park for what seemed like too long on tarmac. I was mildly concerned at the pace but determined not to be left behind at this early stage of my first run. Looking at the map it appears to be about 1.25km on the road, there and back would be about a third of a long run for me, so you can see why I was concerned knowing we were heading up to Kinder Downfall.
Pushing that thought to the back of my mind my next challenge was the start of the uphill....up past the side of the reservoir and a lovely path. We veered right as the path approached William Clough onto rougher ground. Now, I can claim to be a keen (and novice) fell runner but in all honesty I've not done much actual running off of paths yet. This is one area I need to do more of. Lots more. Heading approximately East we aimed for Mermaids Pool, a few kind club members had offered to look out for me and at my pace we were quickly being left behind by the rest of the group. Not that I felt any pressure now, or throughout the run to speed up, nor did I detect any annoyance that I could potentially be slowing them down. They're a good bunch and I knew I was being looked after.
At some point our group bisected the Pennine running club heading downhill....apparently there as some confusion for one of their dogs who thought it belonged to ours, me...well I was totally oblivious to that occurance as I plodded my way towards our group and under a fence and onwards. Next target was the downfall. A lot of the group headed off fairly quickly and left me and my babysitters moving slowly on the steep traverse towards the River Kinder underneath the fall. A few had opted to head up the river pretty much and scramble up the rocks....my break off group were heading straight up the steep group. By two thirds up, already after several short stops to catch my breath (to be clear we're all walking at this point given the terrain), my legs are starting to burn. More practice on steep ground is needed. Well more practice at all aspects of fell running to be fair.
Eventually I see the ridge is upon me and glance right to the top of the Downfall...I'm slightly put out because the whole group had congragated to wait for me and regroup. Oh well. Not a lot I can do to make myself go faster and they were warned I was slow!! There's discussions about what route to take, some thinking to go back via Sandy Heys though this is dismissed as rougher than the planned route. It turns out the whole group is sticking together and taking the B route down Red Brook.
So off we go, as one chap pointed out, this was what the effort of the up hill is all about as its now only downhill (well a few undulations) but definitely no serious climbing to do. I'm happy with how I feel, a little concerned that time is passing and the time for sunset fast approaching. Only a few minutes into the run along the peat bogs my left calf starts to cramp. Damn. I did not want that to happen, especially on a bit I can actually run! A mini-break to stretch and it seems ok, if a little tense and in that pre-cramp stage. I choose to think of something I heard not so long ago and ignore the pain...."free your mind and your legs will follow". It seemed to work as we were soon heading down the clough and towards the trees. It felt good to be able to try and keep up with the other runners. There was no way in hell of the fast chaps being in sight, but I kept a couple of others within easy distance and didn't let the gap grow.
About halfway down there was a gathering of all the runners again, this time to look at a carving in a stone - that was after 6 or so of the group had lifted the stone so you could see it! I just wanted to keep going, knowing if I hung about too long my muscles would resist movement. I headed down to one guy who hadn't climbed back up to see the stone and by the time I'd reached him the fast guys were on me and past. The little path was nice to run on, springy under foot, but concentration needed to avoid the stones. Turning to grass and a few bogs lower down, over a stile and on we ran. I could feel my legs tiring by now and knew the end wasn't all that far away.
Past the trees and down a nice grassy slope....another regroup (or was that just a wait for me?) and down into a wooded area on a track. Then tarmac. By now I'd forgotten how long we'd run on this on the way out. Just over 1km may not seem much but when you're ready to stop it seems very long indeed. I just wanted it to end but given that it was fairly level I was damned determined not to stop. And I didn't. Ran all the way to the carpark.
What's nice about this run is that although I was wearing my garmin the stats it was collecting were of no importance. When running in London it was all about the stats. Something had to make the Blackheath circuits meaningful, and that was pace, distance, improving on previous times, etc. Out in the fells none of that matters. Ok so I'd like to be faster, but actually what I'd really like it better technique. I've downloaded my stats for anyone who's interested...click here.
So, with the run ended and some farewells shouted around the main talking point was which pub! This was the pub run afterall so a load of us wandered down to Hayfield and generally socialised for a while. Happy times. Will I join the club on a training run again? Definitely. But, I do want to do a few more serious runs on my own. By serious I mean longer than I have been running, and get my technique on both uphill and downhill improved, if only a little.
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