Lakes, Lakes, Lakes!

Just back from a few days in the Lakes. We drove up on Monday, Albertless for once, shouting The Wick, The Wick, as we always do when approaching Keswick. The weather forecast was good with slight winds on Monday afternoon so time for me to do some serious manning up and tackle Halls Fell Ridge. I used to climb a bit (seconding VS's which isn't brilliant but ok for someone who hates heights) till a dog tried to bite off my index finger and generally having a good old chew on my right hand, a few years ago, leaving me with poor grip strength and lots of scars that were painful to touch for a couple of years. Don't know why but descending exposed drops just scares the bejesus out of me, although I'm ok going up. Just get very dizzy and seem to lose all sense of where my hands and feet are.

So the plan was to go up Halls Fell first and then see if I could get down it. Off we trotted, me sporting my new, fab Montane jacket which was part of my prize from L100. It looked a bit misty, but all ok. Very quickly the weather got worse the higher we went, which is one of the reasons I love the Lakes; all the weather in one day. The rocks were as slippy as hell, 60mph cross winds, Dave laughing, me hanging on for dear life, praying for mountain rescue and quietly screaming.

Came down VERY slowly, terrified and trying to keep my left foot straight which was still swollen and sore. Glad to be alive I ate not only my bodyweight but probably Fatima Whitbread's bodyweight in curry that night.

The next day was Dave's birthday, hurrah! We headed up Spooney Green Lane to Latrigg car park planning on having a look at leg one of the BG, bumping into a group of folk with the same plans. Gerry, who was 4th Lady at the L100 and one of the girls on my list of possible winners, was leading a group round leg one. Gerry is a friend of George and Dale's, and she completed the BG with George, so she's quite a brilliant fell runner.


We tagged along with them, up Skidpaw (bit odd without Albert but Gerry had her lovely, bonkers fell running Staffie with her, Lily) and watched in awe as Gerry flew down towards Great Calva. I am particularly bad at descending hills and my foot was playing up. That's my excuse anyhoo. Quick flapjack break at the summit. Simon, one of the group who's going for a BG next year was feeling a bit off but carried on. 

Gerry and Lily cannoned down through the bracken to the river with us laughing, she's mental. Dave had lost his very special and expensive 'Birthday Boy' badge by now, courtesy of Asda. Trudged up to Blencathra with Simon starting to fall back, not well. Gerry, Andrea and I went off to the summit, Dave declaring us the three witches of Keswick.

We talked Andrea and Simon into trying Halls Fell (or Hells Bells as Gerry calls it), if I can do it, anyone can, I declared with false bravado. Gerry and I went down Doddick as I wanted to have a look at it. Quick meet and greet at the bottom then Dave and I ran into The Wick for more birthday beer, this time accompanied by pie and lamb shank. Happy days.

Rock Hopping and Ankle Spraining

Dave and his mate Tim Tim took themselves off to Stanage Edge in the Peak District on Thursday to have a play on the rocks and generally do boy stuff (this involves falling off and coming home with scabby knees). 

We went back on Friday to run about a bit with Albert. I've not really run much since the L100 what with chest infections and a dodgy knee so no real mileage was done, but lots of rock hopping, small hills and bracken bashing; Albert loved it.

Coming off the last rocks, I landed really hard on my left foot, slightly spraining the deltoid ligaments I think. Limped back to Mrs Um, typical.

Not a bad PB

Been quite busy over the past few weeks, getting over a horrible chest infection, giving in after 3 weeks and going to the GP for some antibiotics and stronger steroids (asthma inhaler not muscle mary type). Slowly getting back into training, the mind is willing but my breathing is still all over the place. Meeting Kelly Holmes and having to do the bleep test! Nearly died. 


And then there's work...One of my clients, Adrian, ran the Robin Hood Half Marathon today. He first ran it last year in 2:20 after only ever running 6 miles previously. I started training him in Jan this year, he was hard work! No idea of pacing, he'd run flat out for a couple of miles and then die. It took a while but he learnt about speed endurance, interval sessions, hill sessions, weights and kettle bells, the importance of sports massage and eating properly (he's lost a lot of weight). I find with every client that you need to find an 'in', something that gets them going. Adrian's 'in' was stats. After he bought a Garmin he was transformed! He loved going over the stats from his runs and just got faster and more enthusiastic. He started buying Runners World mag and every running gadget including 'nipple guards', hilarious! 

So, scores on the doors, having to contend with really strong headwinds and me running next to him for the last mile screaming 'run till you're sick' Adrian finished in 1:45:33, vowing to try for 1:30 next year. I'm a very proud personal trainer...

Albert, on the other hand, spent the day at the kennels. I think he's over it...

Yoga Schmoga

After suffering with pretty much constant piriformis and lower back problems for the past 2 years Dave has finally talked me into doing Yoga. He does a 20 min Yoga 'routine' every morning, even when he's away working in some far flung place and has shamed me into trying it. He sent me a YouTube clip of a very bendy bloke doing Power Yoga declaring, 'ignore what he's saying'. How well he knows me, I'm not from California, I'm from Chorley, home of straight talking, hot vimto, Reuben Marsden pies and whippets not downward dogs. Four days in and don't tell Dave but my calfs and back feel better already, may take a bit longer for my bum to comply...