Cloud Inversion

What an amazing and wonderful cloud inversion we were treated to yesterday in the Peak District. I was out teaching on the second of a two day NNAS Silver Navigation Award, setting off from Edale. Here's some photos to show you just how magical the inversion was...sorry if a few photos are very similar, I just can't chose which are best!

Edale Skyline

This one has been on my list to do for some time. I could analyse why it's not happened before, but in short it was mainly the distance that scared me a little, along with not quite getting enough long training runs done. Then came winter and wet weather and I didn't fancy slogging my way up Brown Knoll. Having never run beyond 29km the whole thing felt like a big step, and while not being precious about waiting for perfect conditions I really wanted to enjoy the run.

I penciled in the end of June this year to complete the route in one go. The past few months and weeks have been spent on training for longer distance, more ascent and generally being on my feet for longer. It felt like the time had come to put a big fat tick against this one, so today was the day and today I did it. I ran the whole 34km Edale Skyline (with 1435m ascent), superbly led and pulled along (mentally, not literally) by my wonderful other half, Tim.

Grindsbrook from part way up to Ringing Roger

Descending off from Kinder south edge towards Crookstone Barn.
Win Hill off in the distance at the left

Summit trig point of Win Hill (462m)

The steep climb up to Lose Hill

Nearing the top of Lose Hill, looking across to Back Tor, Mam Tor, Rushup Edge and Brown Knoll

Mam Tor summit trig (517m) with Lose Hill now behind us

Heading up onto Rushup Edge, looking back to Mam Tor and The Great Ridge

Looking across the Grindslow Knoll

Pagoda stones on the south edge of Kinder

The final descent back down to Edale with Grindslow Knoll across the valley

Leaving Ringing Roger

Rocky underfoot....this was starting to hurt my feet now as we descended the zig-zags!

Made it to the finish field, and continued to run back to the van

After making it back to the van we enjoyed an iced lolly, milk, bananas and topped up with plenty of water. The run had been mostly overcast with a slight breeze which was very welcome but it was really warm. I ate 3 chocolate geobars and drank about 1ltr of water. I suppose I could have done with more water, but having practiced my eating and drinking on all my runs I knew I'd be ok. I'd secretly hoped for a sub 5hr run on this route having done the first half of the skyline in just under 2.5hrs last year I thought it should be possible. So, with a finish time for the whole run (incl the short bit from and to the van) of 4:24:40 I'm really chuffed. I had to force myself to keep going from about Brown Knoll, and from Grindslow Knoll I started to think a sub 4:30 was possible. Strava moving time reckons 4:16:42, but either way I'm super happy and will enjoy a well earned beer tonight.

Incremental

Since mid August I've been gradually increasing the distance of my long runs. I did a few long days while I was in Switzerland in early August, with a few of the days around or just above 20km. They were decent days out, but owing to the big ascents you inevitably get in the Swiss alps the days were mixed running and walking. All very enjoyable and good time on the feet. Since our holiday I've been working towards running the Edale Skyline route, and I'm almost there. But not quite. My longest run until recently was 25km last June, since which I've not done many long runs so the Skyline route a big challenge for me to work towards.

I went up to the Brown Knoll area yesterday to watch this year's Edale Skyline race. I was somewhat jealous of the runners and wished I'd started getting longer miles in earlier in the year. Still, I was secretly pleased not to be running in the 'moderate breeze' that was very blustery and knocking the runners around - my lungs and strong winds are not friends as I was reminded on my long run on Saturday! A gorgeous day for the race though (there's a few photos below) and some great running by Glossopdale Harriers and other fell running friends. Well done to all who ran the race.

Sitting around waiting for the runners to come past I was trying to work out how my training was going. I thought it was a good idea to recap just what I have done in the last few months. That way I can see if progress is going how I want it to. Here's how it's all panned out with just the running I do. I also mix in recovery turbo sessions, strength training, walks, stretching, foam rollering, sports massage and total rest days, but here's the running:

11/08 - 9km
13/08 - 10.5km
17/08 - 17.7km in 2:45 and 1028m ascent

23/08 - 5.5km
24/08 - 18.5km in 2:27 and 882m ascent

26/08 - 7km tempo run
28/08 - 4x 3min hill reps
31/08 - 20.11km in 2:39 with 620m ascent

03/09 - 5x 1km intervals
03/09 - 8.2km
07/09 - 25.4km in 2:29 and 464m ascent. flatter run to focus on distance

09/09 - 8.6km tempo run
11/09 - 4x 3:30min hill reps
13/09 - 5km
15/09 - 21.47km in 1:58 with 142m ascent. flat run to work on speed/distance

17/09 - 5x 400m sprints
18/09 - 5x 3:30min hill reps
19/09 - 9.1km
21/09 - 26.62km in 3:33 with 851m ascent

23/09 - 5.5km
25/09 - 4x 4min hill reps
26/09 - 8km
28/09 - 29.2km in 3:53 with 894m ascent

I'm really pleased with how it's going. Distance is building gradually and I've got a few flatter long runs in so know my pace can be good over the distance too. The last two weeks have seen me do my longest ever runs and I can honestly say I don't feel too tired afterwards - that is of course once I've got over the initial feelings of 'thank goodness that's done'. I can honestly say that after having a cup of tea and a few hours rest I feel like I could run again. I therefore judge my progress to be going very well indeed. This coming week is slightly different for me because of work and other commitments so I will see what I get done before deciding whether or not to do a long run, shorter long run or just to have a rest.  In the meantime, here's a few photos from Edale Skyline yesterday (the full set are on facebook):

Looking towards Brown Knoll

Looking down towards the check point at the top of Jacobs Ladder 

Glossopdale Harrier Caity Rice heading to the check point

Half the Edale Skyline

I ran half of the Edale Skyline route yesterday, about 18km with nearly 900m ascent. My aim was to run it as a long steady distance (LSD), keeping my heart rate steady, not letting it get too high on ascents. I am wanting to run the whole route this year, but need to build up the distance steadily over the next 3 months. This run was a good opportunity for me to see how long it would take me to get to Mam Tor, and, to satisfy my curiosity, whether I would get there before the magic race cut off time of 2hrs 45mins. Given that I wouldn't be pushing on the run, and definitely not at race pace, I had no thoughts on how long it would take me. I was just out for an LSD and to enjoy the scenery. Here's a few photographs:

Looking down towards Edale, nearly at the top of Ringing Roger

Looking up to the top of Ringing Roger

Looking towards Hope Cross from the south edge of Kinder

 

Jaggers Clough in the foreground with Win Hill and Lose Hill

The path on south edge of Kinder, heather in full purple bloom

Lose Hill from above Hope Brink

Win Hill from Lose Hill summit

The Mam Tor ridge from Lose Hill summit

As you can see, it was a rather overcast day. The temperature was pleasant, if not a bit muggy so even when it rained on me whilst on the southern edge of Kinder I ran in just a t-shirt. The key time was obviously reaching Mam Tor within the cut-off time and I was really pleased to get to Mam Nick in a total of 2:26:54. Actual moving time was 2:21:22 so stopping to take photos and a couple of brief pauses only added 5 minutes on.

Tim had kindly dropped me off at Edale, thereby avoiding adding on a link section of a few kilometres. He then parked at Mam Tor and ran the route backwards until we met up, we'd envisaged that being somewhere on Win Hill. Sure enough, after about 11km each we were running together, down Win Hill towards Twitchill Farm. The climb up to Lose Hill summit is brutal; my calves were screaming but I was determined to walk with purpose and not stop. Managing this I paused only briefly to take a few photos at the summit, and then we were off again along the ridge. Knowing that the drag up Mam Tor isn't entirely runnable for me I stuck to Tim's heals on the flatter section from Back Tor to Hollins Cross, he really did help me keep the momentum up on that bit.

So, my plan is to get some progressively longer runs done each week and see how I get on with that. One of those runs will be the second half of the skyline route, just to prepare myself for what's coming. The full Edale Skyline is about 34km with 1373m ascent, so I've a bit of work to do yet.