Birkenhead BL

Race: Birkenhead Park variant 7.7k (BL race 2)

Time/Position: 29.12 (85th from 408 [1st V55])

I vowed I would never do another double race weekend after a fell race/XC combo a few years ago, but then in January it was necessary to to do a BL/XC double header, and it went reasonably well. Despite that, I really am trying to limit the strain these days so was a tad concerned about this. Given that, it was surprising and pleasing to feel pretty good today. I was much more sensible about pacing, trying not to fall into the muscle memory trap of going out at the kind of pace I used to find easy! This race took the 'variant' route we did in January, a little shorter than the familiar 5.5 mile version we have done so many times over the years. I got into a group of clubmates alongside Jez, Tim and Matt and we kept a decent sustainable pace ticking over. Because of the slower pace, I felt better than I have for some time at a race and it felt like my old metronomic pacing with each lap very steady. All this meant that I was only a few seconds slower than at the same course in March, albeit depressingly far down the field - you can't help thinking back a few years to regular top 20 finishes! Still unbeaten in the V55 category in the league.

Eirias Park cross country

Race: Eirias Park 5m+ (NWXC League race 2)

Time/Position: 34.54 (63rd from 131 [3rd V55])

A double-header race weekend, and having missed the first XC league fixture I felt obliged to turn out for this one. I enjoyed this course last time I did it, a nice blend of sharp hills and long runnable sections, and did so again today. My tactics were to go out hard on the first lap and then knock it back for the last two. This worked to an extent, and in fact my first lap was a few seconds inside my best from two years ago (second on the Strava age group leaderboard). It was a beautiful Autumn day with sea views and colourful leaves. After the first lap, I struggled to maintain any kind of pace and finished miles down the field (and only third V55 after winning it last season!) but at least I felt I had saved a bit of energy for tomorrow's border league fixture and my deformed heel felt OK.

St Helens parkrun

'Race': St Helens parkrun

Time/Position: 19.11 (5th from 336)

This was an ideal way to break the journey to Blackburn on a filthy day of weather. It was only drizzling when I made my way to the old bandstand in Victoria Park, however, and I enjoyed the run. It takes three and a half laps of the park, and felt a bit like Levengrove in Dunbarton with a longish climb on every lap. These days that will inevitably slow me down, and I was unable to make up the time on the descent. That said, I felt reasonably good and recorded the best V55+ time on the Strava leaderboard (although it wasn't an actual age group course record, this was the 561st running so it is long established). I had a sausage bloomer at the nearby Courtyard cafe and then drove north to Tockholes, where I jogged up to the prominent Darwen Tower, which marks the highpoint of the moorland south of Blackburn. Very atmospheric in bleak mist, gales and driving rain. It was nice to recuperate with M at the Rock Inn (wind howling outside) with a pint of Thwaites, rag pudding and chips before the match at nearby Ewood Park.

UK fell relays

Race: British fell and hill relays (Todmorden) Leg 3 navigation

Time/Position: 1.41 (110th from 200 teams overall)

Buckley's eighth time at the fell relays, and mine too as the only ever-present member. I was captain again this year, and partnered Andy on the nav leg, which we have done together before. It went reasonably well with some decent route choices but physically we were well off the pace compared to previous years. The base was Todmorden cricket club and nearby park (which marks the old boundary between Yorkshire and Lancashire, I think) and all the legs initially went up the steep paths through the woods towards the open moorland of Flower Scar. These hills are not very big, around the 450m mark, so I wasn't surprised that the nav leg maximised the climbing wherever it could! A very boggy first checkpoint led to a climb up Flower Scar and then began an inevitable series of climbs and descents, initially heading north to a little stream valley, then doubling back through steep woodland to the moorland highpoint at Carr and Crags. A draining haul over the tussocky moorland down towards Clough Head before taking another climb to a hidden stream valley. After this, the terrain became easier and more runnable as it headed east then north via one tricky checkpoint hidden by a gate next to a steep stream valley. I worked this out and we finally gained some places here, as the four teams in front missed it initially. Then came a nice run-in via Stones Farm with good views over the Calder Valley.

PitP parkrun

'Race': Park in the Past parkrun

Time/Position: 19.03 (1st from 107)

Another quick blast around the local parkrun, beginning to take on its autumnal characteristics: big puddles and a bit of mud. This makes it slipper and slower, but it's still not too bad. This was my 4th 'win' at PitP and continues a decent recent trend, three 'wins' from the last four parkruns, with the other a very close second. Not races, of course, but aged 56 I'll take what I can! I jogged there and back from home, making it an even more enjoyable start to the weekend.

Llandegla BL

Race: Llandegla 5m+ (Border League race 1)

Time/Position: 35.30 (67th from 346 [1st V55])

Unless I have miscounted, this was my 100th Border League race, 21 years since my debut at Hoylake. Given my current lack of training and mileage, I was fairly pleased with my performance on what was a tough course by Borders standards. I can think of very few 'trail' races in the league over the years, so this was a real novelty on gravel tracks, with quite a lot of elevation (270m or so), so I was keen to do it despite hoping to ease off a bit in the league this year. It took in the main firetrack loop anticlockwise from just below the cafe. I took it fairly steady on the first climb: it then eased before a final steep kicker, nice views across the Clwydians, before the fast descent. Parking was inevitably going to be tricky, so we parked in Gwynfryn and jogged along the track from there, increasing the mileage to 13k or so.

Black Combe

Peaks: Black Combe

Area: Millom, Lake District

Black Combe is a real outlier, much closer to the sea than the rest of the Lakes and far removed from the central, better known fells. After the parkrun, I had the 'no fuss' breakfast and a pot of tea at the excellent Byre cafe in Bootle, setting me up nicely for part two of the morning. I parked at Whitbeck and adopted a 'running approach' although the hill is steep initially as it takes a giant zigzag south to the high ground above the side valley of Moorgill Beck. Great views down to the Irish Sea, after which the main track is gained which allows for pretty quick progress, even though I was a bit tired. I got to the top in less than 45 minutes, with a bit of mist draping the summit. This cleared on the exhilerating run down to reveal superb views of the sea below: I felt better than I have for some time, pelting down feeling something of the 'old magic' which was pleasing after the parkrun. No heel pain either, which obviously helped. I took in the cairn on the top of the spur above Whicham for even better views before finishing the descent: 69 minutes up and down.

Muncaster Castle parkrun

'Race': Muncaster Castle parkrun

Time/Position: 19.01 (1st from 114)

I was close to oversleeping in the van, so didn't even have a chance for coffee before heading from the hostel down towards the Cumbrian coast. This parkrun seemed the most interesting local option, and was by far the closest: it is entirely within the grounds of Muncaster Castle, a little reminiscent of Bodnant, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My legs were a little tired after the last few days but I had a pretty good run around the three lap course which is nicely undulating: a longish climb from the cafe up a narrow tarmac path to a fast descent and then gravel loop around the castle itself with views down to Black Combe which I planned to run up next. I found myself in first place after the first lap and then felt reasonably strong for the final two undulating laps. Down on last week's time, but this is definitely a slower course. My 14th first place finish at the 'timed run' (not a race!) in 11 different venues.