Weekend of Cycling and a Mountain Race

Sunday: a long cycle ride (here), about 5 hours, of which 3 hours was actually pedalling. One the way, a packed lunch of crab and salad. It was easy pedalling (I was with Mrs M) so a good bit of long, low intensity exercise.

Along the way, some great photos of the scenery, some vivid orange/red flowers and a crane that landed in front of us:






Bank Holiday Monday: the Shultlinsloe fell race.

My time this year: 24.54. My time in 2008: 21.57.

It goes without saying that I am not happy about this. I have gained weight and lost fitness. This is the spur I needed to get lean and fit over the summer. There is a slew of big races in late summer and autumn, for which I plan to shed nearly a stone and become seriously fit. The year of living badly is over.

That said, it was an enjoyable race, as ever, as my running partner, Lightning's account indicates.

Since in his post he used a photo in which I have my eyes closed and he looks mean, I figured I'd use a photos in my post where he has his eyes closed. Unfortunately instead of looking mean I look like someone is controlling me from above with strings...

... Read more

Squats and Hill Run Mark New Knee Progress

Date: 25th December
Location: My Dad's Garage

Swiss ball squats with dumbbells @25kg per dumbbell, BBS-style - about 2 minutes.

Total time: 2 minutes

Post-workout nutrition: this, 20 minutes later.

In fact my Dad did not have an inflated Swiss ball available, but since the struts on the power rack in my Dad's garage are smooth, I was able to slide my back up and down that to give the same kind of support.

Date: 26th December
Location: Shuttlisloe

60 minute hike

...during which two semi-sprints up steep sections (30 seconds each.)

Post workout nutrition: none - fasted that day.

The knee is getting better and stronger. I'll post a comparative photo between the left and right quads again soon (their sizes are converging) and compare it to the one I took 3 weeks after the surgery.

The knee was a bit delicate after the superslow session: this is the first weighted squats it has done, but I was happy with the way it coped - the delicacy was the right kind.

I am able to do full squats, but my patella is a little irritated from the sudden onslaught of exercise the leg has had in recent weeks, and half squats enable me to really push the quad without affecting the patella too much.

I reckon in a couple of weeks time I will be able to re-introduce leg press to my BBS routine, albeit perhaps with the seat further away from the press plate initially.

Here is a good photo of the hiking outing - the snow had created a fine wintry scene.


Being able to hike (for the first time since the op) and also do a couple of bursts of uphill running was very pleasing (especially given the additional stability needed in those conditions.) I expect I'll be able to do a proper fell run by mid-January. This is one of the steep sections I ran up.

As an aside, I did this in my new Vibram Five Finger Treks, which gives you and idea of how effective the tread is. ... Read more

Shuttlinsloe Fell Race

Location: Shuttlinsloe, Cheshire, UK
Date: 25th May 2009

I ran this race last year and enjoyed it so much I decided to do it again this year. It also fits with my desire to inject variety into my training.

I used to do a lot of fell running. Fell runs can be every bit as gruelling, if not more so, than road races like marathons. For example, one of the last races I did before giving up long cardio was 14.5 miles with thousands of feet lost and gained during the race. It took 3 hours 15 minutes.

The picture shows us at the start of the Shuttlinsloe race on Monday - we must run to the top of the small mountain on the left, and back.

The great thing about this race is that in one, short, 20-25 minute effort, it combines all the variety of a proper fell race. This variation makes it feel more like a Primal/Paleo activity than a flat race: there are times when you have to walk, wade or wait for others at stiles - so it has intervals of varying effort. Here are the various stages:

1. Downhill sprint into the forested gully.
2. Wade through the river.
3. Hike up a steep bank covered with bluebells.
4. Run along a track to the base of the steep part near the farm (centre of picture)
5. Run/hike up the front of the mountain.
6. Check in at the top.
7. Run left along the ridge.
8. Career down the side, trying not to tumble.
9. Career back down through the bluebells, almost certainly tumbling.
10. River again, then the sting in the tail - back up the hill with legs like rubber.

This year I did not train for the race. The last time I ran up a hill was in April and prior to that I cannot remember. My time was slower than last year, but I was also conscious of spending longer waiting for people at stiles; possibly long enough to account for the difference. So my guess is that I was not really any less fit. This is interesting given the profile of my fitness regime has shifted significantly towards intervals and away from longer duration training. This certainly chimes with the opening remarks of Clarence Bass in this post. ... Read more