Tune!

I know there are a lot of purists out there who would perish the thought of listening to music whilst running out on a mountain side, or anywhere else for that matter, but each to their own. I like having the company of the radio or some uplifting tunes to sing along to when I'm out and about.

For me music can make a good run an excellent run. Today is one of those days. I'm buzzing from my run today. My husband despairs because when it comes to running, I share the same musical taste as my 9 year old daughter. It's a guilty pleasure. I love a bit of really rubbish pop music to uplift me sometimes, and I can play the same track over and over and over again on repeat :0).

I was going to head up to the Lake District this week to recce some of the L100 course, but I changed my plans and decided to stay home.

I'm glad I did. The sun was shining today and I've been out for a run along the ridgeway this morning - my local trail. Lovely views up the Beacons in the north and over Cardiff Bay and over to the Devon coast, and all the way along I was singing on top of my voice, belting out Moves like Jagger (blush! I did warn that it was really rubbish pop music I sometimes favoured)!

Here's my run....(dances around the kitchen)...

 And some pictures....

Marathon Training Continues: 4 weeks to go

I managed to squeeze my long run in yesterday evening to allow me time on Friday to run along the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Trail near my house. 

So, on a beautiful autumn evening I donned my snuggly winter beany and ran a 20 mile out and back urban route. Don't worry, I wore other clothes too, but the beany really marks the change in season. 

Having run the Cardiff Half marathon last weekend (time = slower than last year), the pressure was off, so I decided to use my heart rate monitor to keep to a pace that would not take my heart rate above 75%. 

This made for a very relaxing pace and an opportunity to really enjoy the seasonal changes along the Taff Trail. It's a great route starting in the hills to the North of Cardiff, through the city, through parks, past castles, the millennium stadium, our beautiful millennium centre and onto the barrage until you reach the sea.

There was no energy dip or psychological struggles on this run, but I suffered with bad leg cramps in the last 3 miles which forced me to take walk breaks...enter another challenge to master and overcome! Other than that a great run.

Not sure what happened at the start of my run! I must have been excited to be out of work!

New Shoes!

I went shopping for an early birthday present today intending to buy some Merrell barefoot gloves, but the guy in Moti Cardiff persuaded me to try on a pair of Newton Gravitas. I had a little jog on the treadmill in the shop and my head was turned!

I opted for the Newton's!

The idea is that they encourage a forefoot strike.

Just been round the block in them for a try out and I love 'em! Very comfortable, the fore foot strike feels very natural and I feel like I have a new spring in my step. A good option for an everyday road shoe - just in time for the Cardiff Half Marathon!!

Talybont Trial 2011

It was a busy weekend this weekend. With the Cardiff Half Marathon being the focus of next weekend, I wanted to make sure I fitted in a long run as part of my marathon training. So on Friday I did an 18 mile loop of the Taff Trail taking in all the sights between Tongwynlais and Cardiff Bay. It was a good run and I felt comfortable until mile 15 or 16 when my speed dropped and I had a mile or so of struggle.

But.... every day is a school day, and I think I managed this better than I have done in the past. I know for sure that when I am out on the road running that this slump is going to hit me at around mile 15 to 17. Knowing it's coming and then knowing that it will pass helped me to refocus and get back on track. I'm really working on building and maintaining a positive mental attitude to deal with the tough patches.

 On Saturday, I took part in the Talybont Trial. My Garmin tells me I ran 21.6 miles and that there was 4487 ft of ascent. It was a good day with great support and encouragement from the Brecon Moutain Rescue team. The weather was kind and the field was small and I love the freedom of these events that allow you to plot your own course between checkpoints. It was nice to see familiar faces, although I really must start finding out people's names!

I chatted with A chap called Andrew (I think) who DNF'd the L100 in July this year. He told me a cautionary tale about the importance of pacing and avoiding being timed out in the 100, and then disappeared into the distance like a whippet! Oh dear! What am I thinking??!

Anyway, map and photos of a great morning follow....

Talybont Trial 2011

Gt Langdale-Blea Tarn-Little Langdale-Elterwater-Gt Langdale Photo's

I managed to fit in a quick 10 miler before I set off from Great Langland to home on Friday.

In reality, it wasn't that quick because I stopped at every turn to take shed loads of photos. I use the camera on my iphone, but collecting the pictures along the trail is a big part of being out there for me, so i think I'm going to invest in a goodish, hard wearing camera that can take some knocks while I'm out and about.

Any suggestions on a camera that might fit the bill would be welcomed.

Anyway, I ended up with another load of not great photos, but I'm going to upload them here so that my record is complete:

The Langdale Valley at 7:30

 

Blea Tarn

 
 


Little Langdale

 

 

 

 

Elterwater and back up the Langdale Valley

I know that I've got my shadow in the last shot. I thought it might be arty - but it's just rubbish :0)

2 Nights in Great Langdale

I decided to take advantage of the unseasonal warm weather being forecast for the weekend and took an extra day of annual leave to supplement my usual Friday off. This gave me enough time to shoot off to the lakes for a couple of days and pack in as much time on the fells as possible.


I left work at 4pm sharp, jumped in the VW and sped off to Great Langdale NT campsite.
I'd planned a long walk for Thursday and intended to take my time and enjoy the views, running where ever possible. My route:


Stickle Tarn via Stickle Ghyll
High Raise
Rossett Pike
Esk Hause
Great End
Broad Crag
Scafell Pike
Esk Pike
Bowfell
Home via The Band 


I felt really alone and isolated heading up towards High Raise. It was like a sudden shock to the system, having rushed up from Cardiff after a busy day in work, to standing above Stickle Tarn with not a soul in sight - the contrast was stark.


Of course, I wasn't alone. There was a group of wild campers going about their morning ablutions just above Stickle Tarn and there was a steady stream of walkers heading up past Angle Tarn, but for a short time I had the open moorland between High Raise and Rossett Pike all to myself in the sunshine.

After Esk Hause the walk turned into more of a scramble so I took my time, enjoying the beautiful views across to Borrowdale and in the other direction, down the Langdale Valley. I never get used to the drama of the landscape in the Lakes. The beauty of the place makes me a bit emotional. Thankfully, I came across a bloke from Llanelli who distracted me from my self indulgent, introspective musings. He was spending his annual leave walking the three peaks, yesterday Snowdon, tomorrow Ben Nevis, just for the heck of it.

By the time I reached Bowfell the cloud had lifted and I could just about see the pub and a pint of cider with my name on it. I'd covered 16 miles and 5,300ft of ascent. A decent day's walking.


I took loads of photo's on route so have just posted them all - some are rubbish.