Wirral Seaside 5k

Race: Wirral Seaside 5k

Time/Position: 17.35 (19th from 262 [1st V55])

I was a little annoyed that my Dunham Massey time didn't count towards the rankings (even though it was accurately measured) so I was determined to equal or better it tonight. A tailwind would have been nice but sadly it was another warm evening with barely a breath of wind. The time I had in mind was pretty specific - between 17.30 and 17.40. I was fairly confident I should be able to do that if I paced it right, although I also knew that I could easily blow if I went off too fast. In the event, I did go off a little too quick as this race always has lots of very young local runners participating! But I detected it, eased off a tad and got into a pleasingly comfortable (relative!) cruise control as soon as we changed direction and headed east at Leasowe Lighthouse. According to Strava, this was the fastest ever V55 time on the course, although there were no sub-categories tonight so my time was only good enough for second V50. However, it does put me 25th V55 in the UK, which is pleasing: there may be a little more to come off it. My ninth race since turning 55 less than a month ago, laying down reasonable (albeit unspectacular) 10k and 5k times, so it's time for a bit of a rest from racing before rejoining the fray when we get back from Greece.

Fan Frynych

Peaks: Craig Cerrig-Gleisiad, Fan Frynych

Area: Brecon Beacons

Even more tired this morning, after a disrupted 'urban' night in the van in the middle of Cardiff. So a short outing was in order to break the journey home, particularly because the weather had changed and dark clouds were sweeping over the Beacons as I had breakfast in Merthyr. I set off from a car park some way down from the Storey Arms and immediately had a pair of pied flycatcher just seconds after leaving. Lovely woodland gave way to a nice valley, much nicer than the land round the Storey Arms higher up. A steep climb to the south gave way to a broad ridge and lovely path above two or three steep little river valleys. Misty, so I plodded over to the summit of Cerrig-Gleisiad before continuing out to Fan Frynych, now in heavy driving rain. I didn't hang around at the trig, but trotted back down the main valley completely soaked.

Pen y Fan

Peaks: Corn Du, Pen y Fan

Area: Brecon Beacons

In recovery mode for a few days, but also en route to Cardiff in nice weather so I did a quick reprise of the dull route up Pen y Fan from Storey Arms that I did with M a few years ago (immediately after the Farndon 10k and shortly before contracting glandular fever). I can't think of a duller and less scenic route up any UK mountain, really, but it does have some virtues as a quick outing. Hundreds if not thousands of people on it, and I was tired, but did keep a decent pace ticking over but without much running. I was on Corn Du in around 30 minutes, very hot and humid throughout, then across to the crowded top of Pen y Fan with a red kite flying around. Then a jogged descent all the way down: 52 mins in total.

Tattenhall Tough Team

Race: Tattenhall Tough Team

Time/Position: 1.06.24 (15th from 248 [5th team overall])

This has long been a favourite event of mine. It was a race too far, obviously enough, given my current schedule (8th race in three weeks) but I always really enjoy the teamwork and friendly rivalry that the event revolves around. A very hot and humid evening, even by the usual standards of this midsummer race. I don't think I've ever done the event with precisely the same two people, although me and Jez have frequently teamed up over the years. This year our trio was made up with Rob Alexander, quite a bit younger but still in the Vet category. The expectation was that Rob and I would be a little faster on the road with Jez catching up on the hilly off-road section. This is more or less how it panned out, although we did perhaps go off a little fast and I was quite fatigued after two 10k races in the last five days. That said, I felt OK as we went past the Pheasant and started the off-road section up to the familiar twisting route round the Sandstone Trail and eventually down to the dreaded Railway. This is always the crux of the event, and this was definitely my slowest ever climb up! I did get my breath back and the next section was brilliant, all three of us came together and were perfectly matched through the woods and down the fields to regain the road above Burwardsley. The event is always at its best when this happens. Sadly, however, my recent race schedule caught up with me for the long return along the roads to Tattenhall, and I started to blow a bit. It wasn't too disastrous, we all stayed together, but I didn't feel great and the heat and humidity didn't help. By the finish I was badly depleted, and knew I needed some proper recovery time. We should have been first Vet team, just beating our Buckley rivals by a few seconds, but the rules have changed so we weren't!

Warrington 10k

Race: Warrington 10k

Time/Position: 37.01 (12th from 261 [1st V50])

Enthusiasm triumphing over experience here, with two 10k's three days apart, but I am still glad I did this, very close to my old workplace at Padgate and combining nicely with an IKEA trip. I had never done it before, although it is actually the oldest of the various Warrington 10k races (40 years). I've done the nearby Birchwood 10k at least twice, however. After finishing pretty drained with my 36.35 on Sunday, I had no intention of a repeat so deliberately started slowly and steadily on a very warm evening with a heatwave building. The route was tortuous, weaving around 2.5 laps of Woolston Park, and also mildly multi-terrain with gravel, some grass, twists and turns. The tactics worked pretty well, and meant that I did indeed feel more comfortable than Sunday and recorded about the time I had intended to run. In fact I was rather surprised to be just 26 seconds down, so that was something of a confidence boost and suggests I could perhaps take some time off my 36.35 at Colshaw Hall. With Tattenhall Tough Team coming up on Friday, there was even more reason not to drain the tank too excessively! In the event, there were no sub-categories so I was pleased to win the 50-59 category.

Glyder Fach

Peaks: Glyder Fach

Area: Glyderau, Eryri

The forecast this morning was for low cloud to clear quite early, and this seemed to be happening as I approached Ogwen Cottage with mist rolling away from the ridges in spectacular fashion. These conditions are often memorable so it seemed important to get high as soon as possible, not easy with tired legs after yesterday's race. I took a similar direct line up to Bochlwyd as I did in April, and this was to be a similar time-pressed excursion. Above the steps, mist was indeed rolling attractively down into Cwm Bochlwyd. I skirted the lake to find the line of the False Gribin. Remarkably, I have no memory of doing this before - it is the true rocky continuation of the upper Gribin, which is the only properly defined section anyway. As such, it triples the amount of scrambling although it is very mild - a series of miniature detached ridges and short slabby sections until a steeper tower is reached at the end. Sadly, however, the clag didn't clear, and was thick enough to lead to drizzle on the always tricky traverse to Glyder Fach and then the scree descent. In thick mist this is the most confusing terrain in Wales, never the same route twice no matter how many times you've done it! The scree adjacent to Bristly Ridge is unpleasant too, but I got down to the stile in good time then jogged the rest down towards Ogwen Cottage: 1.31 for the mini round.

Colshaw Hall 10k

Race: Colshaw Hall 10k

Time/Position: 36.35 (110th from 1137 [3rd V55])

A route change and a flatter. faster course than the last time I did this race post-pandemic. As a possible result, it was an absolutely stacked field of quality runners and a very congested start down a narrow lane. This meant that I upped the pace a little too much as soon as I had a clear run, and a couple of 3.30 k's were not a good idea. I went through 5k in exactly 18 minutes, which was at the upper end of my plans, and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold that pace. So I dropped it a little along the quiet lanes at the far end of the course, beginning to struggle. I didn't want to leave anything behind today: the idea was to at least lay down a decent V55 time with the possibility of improvement later in the year. The time I had in my head was 36.30 and that is almost exactly what I ran. Over two minutes down on my pb but at this stage in my V55 career I will definitely take it! I didn't feel there was too much more to squeeze out, as I finished pretty depleted, but hopefully that's wrong and I can take a little time off this before the end of the current phase.

Trafford 3k

Race: Trafford 3k

Time/Position: 10.34 (12th, heat 4)

I am taking this as nature's way of telling me to retire from track. Not that I have ever done much of it anyway - this is probably my 6th or 7th ever formal track race. It is always a great experience, though, so different from other forms of running, so precise and exacting. I have no idea why I was so slow this evening, as I didn't feel all that bad: but remarkably my pace was actually slower than it was at the multi-terrain 5k last week. I was in track spikes so missed the now familiar propulsion of carbon plate shoes, maybe that was it. I ran 9.49 at my first Trafford 3k about eight years ago but couldn't generate any pace today in a big heat of 25 or more runners. Perfect conditions, making for a pleasant warm down with M and E to refuel with Rudy's Pizza. The time puts me 23rd in the age group UK rankings but that is less than impressive, as not many people do them!

Meerbrook 15k

Race: Meerbrook 15k

Time/Position: 1.02.38 (18th from 235 [2nd V55])

A race I have long been aware of but never got round to doing. It's an unusual distance, tucked away near Leek and the Roaches in the Staffordshire Peak. Ironically enough, I would have been first V50 had I been nine days younger, but instead was beaten into second V55 by local Tim Twentyman, who was going for the regional age group record. We had a grand battle all the way round this very tough course with well over 400 metres of elevation gain. It feels a bit like a fell race in places, and the first hill is the hardest, coming immediately after the start by the village hall. A very long drag which is really steep in places. Great views at the top over this part of the southern Peak on a day of cloud and occasional drizzle. Then came a very fast and very long descent, with myself and Tim equally matched. A loop around the far end towards Wincle (home of the Trout Race) contained a few additional sharp climbs and the terrain inevitably started to take its attritional toll. A more gradual climb from the base was hard, and contained an extra out-and-back during which I started to lose ground. From the highpoint at Gun Hill, a very fast descent at 3.28 pace although I could never quite make up the ground. A decent enough performance on a hard race.

Dunham Massey 5k

Race: Dunham Massey 5k

Time/Position: 17.47 (19th from 208 [1st V55])

Third race in six days since turning 55 and finally a good performance where it all came together. Still almost a minute down on my pb but I think I might scrape into the top 30 in the UK rankings with this time, and possibly fairly high up the all-time NW rankings too. After a long day walking and eating round Manchester with M and E the weather continued unsettled as we arrived in beautiful Dunham Massey, the ideal event to do with E in support as the course was a delightful two and a half lap loop of the grounds. A torrential downpour coincided with the start and, despite feeling a bit stiff and tired all day, I felt pretty good for the first k, gently downhil towards the house (3.19). Then came a little hill and an off-road section, considerably slower especially on the very wet second lap (4th km was a slow 3.46 sadly) before the gentle downhill again and a quick final k (3.21). I felt far better than Christleton, where I ran 17.55 before my birthday, and infinitely better than at Deganwy last Friday, this time there was no blow-up and no fade. Nice to get the V55 prize but even better was the fact that I felt strong throughout, recorded a decent V55 time, and really enjoyed a great event (part of a competitive summer 5k series in eastern Cheshire).

Jubilee Bridge half marathon

Race: Jubilee Bridge half marathon (Runcorn)

Time/Position: 1.24.47 (31st from 734 [2nd V55])

My slowest road half for many years, decades actually. There were a number of reasons, but by far the main one was that I was just too conservative with my pacing. I was conscious that I had blown on Friday, and had a painful experience at Manchester in April. I was also anticipating a headwind battering at various points on the route as it was an unseasonably windy day. Finally, it was very hard to get a sense of where I was in the field, with two races combined meaning it was confusing in places. As a result of all this, I didn't pay much attention to my pace, and felt very comfortable throughout. This, of course, is because I was actually running at marathon pace, not half pace! After an interesting start over the old Runcorn bridge, the route heads through unglamorous industrial estates before a surprisingly rural loop through Hale Village and beyond, a little hilly and windy in places, but the anticipated headwind battering never really materialised. I got a little confused on the second lap, and for a while thought I was on the wrong route, but all became clear eventually and I finally sped up a little on the three mile run in back to the bridge. The last mile was probably the hardest on the route, with a climb up to the bridge and a strong headwind. All in all, a bit of a strange one and a missed opportunity to record a decent time in the new category.