Skipton to Otley - 18

Pamela very kindly drove me out to Skipton today for my 'long' run. Was scheduled for 2hrs, but the Skipton to Otley route is about 18 miles and took about 2hrs 40mins.

Very hot today, 23/24 plus and towards the end I really felt it.

Otherwise, it was a great run. Starting at Skipton, out through Embsay then over to Bolton Abbey picked up the Dales Way through Addingham to Ilkey and then the dullist bit, the road route back to Otley.

Really enjoyed the section to Ilkley, breezy to start with so took the edge of the heat, then shady, firm trials.....felt rough after I'd finished but soon picked up with a few glasses of Chablis and Monkfish kebabs. Yum!

Makes for 50 miles in total this week.

14....'quite' warm.

Not a very interesting route - running one hour up the Leeds Road and then turning round and heading home (got as far as Lawnswood roundabout), but a good testing run in 22+ degrees heat.

14 miles in total.

Three

Well, that's what I'd written into my schedule, maybe it was supposed to be speed work. Anyway, ran /walked three, straight up Johnny Lane to the top of the Chevin (poles in full use), bit of traversing, then back down.

Perfect evening, bit breezy, but bright and fantastic scenery from 'surprise view'.

Swift 5

Well, swift on the way back with the wind behind. Just the usual Otley 5 mile circuit of town. Lovely bright evening, breezy and cool.

9.7 miles

Took a day off yesterday (leisurely trip over to Hardcastle Crags and then gardening all afternoon), but muscles felt well sore when I set off today, especially my thighs. I guess that was the after effects of Saturday's climbs.

Still, soon loosened up and ran the nearly 10 miles from Otley to pool, Arthington, up Creskeld Lane and back along the Leeds Road.

After a warm, even humid, day the cloud cover and light drizzle made for perfect running conditions.

Yorkshire Three Peaks

Ran the route of the Three Peaks Fell race yesterday, about 26 miles in all with a 'few' climbs!

Set off at 10 am intending to start running at 11 but got held up on the A65 by Gypsy Caravans...finally got running at 11.42..........weather though was spot on, warm (about 16 degrees), but overcast and with a light wind.

Plan was to run anything flat or downhill and use the poles on the ascents. Route up Pen-y-ghent was fairly straight forward, a few running sections but mostly an uphill slog. Kept going to the top without a stop, then a quick fig roll, poles collapsed and packed away and map out for the descent and long run across to the Ribblehead viaduct. The top of Pen-y-ghent was cool, but cloud free and the first of many fine views I get throughout the day.

Summit One - Pen-y-ghent


Pen-y-ghent to Whernaide turned out to be the least enjoyable section of the day, it was very wet and boggy with time wasted trying to get round the worst of the degraded peat bogs. Finally hit a good farm track out to the road and then a short section of tarmac to the viaduct.

The fell race itself turns left soon after the end of the viaduct and goes vertically up the side of Wherenside, but this land is not open to the public so I had to stick to the main path on a long sweeping detour north then west. This was good training though for ascending using the poles and again I kept going until I hit the summit. Once more I hit the top clear of cloud, though it was dull and windy with spotting rain. I stopped soon after the trig point to refuel on ham sandwiches and crisps and had to put my coat on to keep warm.

However, the short stop was refreshing and I set off along the ridge (poles now packed away again) before the steep descent and short valley crossing to Ingleborough.

Summit Two, Whernside

The descent off Whernside is very steep and limestone covered in mud gets very slippy. Soon caught up with a crocodile of people (it was very busy on all the hills), including one women who was really struggling to keep her footing while carrying a folded up pushchair (father was equally struggling with crying child...). So I offered to help and ran most of the descent with a buggy under my arm!

Once I'd ditched that at a stile as the path improved I packed my coat away and set off across the valley floor to the start of the climb up Ingleborough.

The route up Ingleborough was fairly direct and though quite energy sapping it didn't seem to take too long to hit the summit plateau. Again, a short rest to refuel, pack away the poles and it was back off the plateau to start the long gradual decent back into Horton in Ribblesdale. The weather now was perfect, high cloud, sunshine and no real breeze with fabulous views.

Finally came off the hill about 5.15, making for a total run time just over 5 hours 30 minutes, slightly longer than expected but happy with the result.

Future plan is to run this route twice.......bearing in mind that one loop is about one quarter of UTMB......

Summit Three, Ingleborough.

Sunny seven

Though the weather outside is frightful, something or other is quite delightful......well, for once a run in dry, sunny conditions!

Just 7 tonight, out to Pool, up Pool Bank and back down the Leeds Road into Otley.

Rest day Friday (not back till late from trip up to the Solway Firth), then 3 Peaks on Saturday. Forecast looks good.

Five miles

Short recovery run tonight, so decided to go up the hill and off road through Chevin forest. Wore the still new Hardrocks and took the walking poles (Camp Xenon).

Walked using poles on all the uphills, running the rest and getting used to collapsing and resurrecting the poles.

Nice workout, bright evening and though a bit of drizzle no where near as wet as the last two days.

Two rest days coming up.

Cold and wet 15 miler...

Set out at 5pm for a gentle 15 mile loop via Menston, Guiseley, Rawdon, Yeadon and home and as I put my kit on it was about 15 degrees...balmy! Then I looked out of the window and the rain had started and it just didn't stop, so just like yesterday, rain, cold, floods, wet.....and then chill blanes, mid-May? eughh...

Hail!

Just 9 miles this afternoon, quite warm, weather a bit 'spotty' with rain, but then a huge downpour. Gutters and pavements like rivers, hailstones stinging and the temperature dropping quickly. Had planned to do 13 but with squelchy shoes cut it short at 9. Longer run tomorrow hopefully.

Snowdon night run cancelled

Was supposed to be supporting a Paddy Buckley attempt tonight, doing the section over Snowdon through the night but persistent rain and forecast of strong winds caused it to be cancelled. This is what the summit of Snowdon looks like at 4 pm today;

Blogging!

Not sure where to start. So, here's a summary.

Decided to try and get in the UTMB so applied at end of last year fully expecting not to get a place but be offered one for 2010. Only they had tightened up the entry criteria and were undersubscribed, so suddenly in January I find myself planning to run 103 miles in the Alps and climbing 9,400 metres - about the height of Everest.

I hadn't planned to blog though, but then at a Trustee meeting of Children Today Charitable Trust last weekend I sat there thinking, I should be using this event to raise funds to support our work helping children and young people with disabilities. So, here we are!

I'll post about my training (and doubtless some kit stuff) and also progress on fundraising. So please pop in for updates and please sponsor me! Just click here: http://www.justgiving.com/ultratour