This time next week.....

I'll be sh...ing myself...that's if my entry's been received. Had to post it in the end, as having got a free place for Helvellyn, even though Rob at Trihard put my name on the entrants list, the site thinks I haven't paid for it and is trying to charge me for both events....so I've posted a cheque and letter...

So my last week of 'big' training is almost over...one more session to go on Sunday...a long bike-run brick at Thrunton..but a shorter route than last Tuesday, when I thought I was going to be out 3ish hrs, but it was about 4hrs, and didn't leave enough time to run as planned, as I'd arranged to meet my sister...and it was getting dark..

That was a hard ride too - not as hard as last Sat round 'the' route - but harder than Helvellyn...with the exception of the Struggle...started from Thrunton Woods..long but not too steep climb to main road (hard when not warmed up yet), left onto main A697 then right to Rothbury. Climb quite steeply, but in sections so able to rest a bit, then the long and lovely fast down past Cragside, climb again (surprisingly steep) before dropping into Rothbury, past the now renowned turn to 'the Stepping Stones'...the stand off between Raul Moat and the police, ending in him shooting himself, contaminating the lovely memories of many hours of tiddler fishing by the stones..straight on through Rothbury and up out towards Thropton. Through the village, then a few miles of relatively easy biking before quite a steep climb after Caistron little lake thing...which I thought was the start of 'Billsmoor' , a name I've heard mentioned many times, but have never ridden. But it wasn't...just yet another hill - quite steep. But did eventually get to Billsmoor - there's quite a steep but not all that long section up to what is labelled 'Billsmoorfoot' - I should've realised by the name that there was more to come - but I thought 'Oh - was that it then?'! The next bit looked - and was - ok - not as steep - but a long and at times steeper, section was out of site just beyond, and this was harder work. Got there eventually - lovely evening light on the moors around - lovely views. Then drop down into Elsdon village - very pretty. Cycled round - and round it - looking for turn off up to 'The Gibbet' - which i was directed to eventually by a passer by (you have to go out of village towards Newcastle and the turn is just after the humpback bridge..). The hill out of Elsdon is quite steep - but not that long and certainly manageable - easier than Billsmoor. And then there's a long, straight, undulating - presumably Roman - road - with incredible panoramic views - right over to coast, aswell as down towards Tyne valley and beyond...and in the clear evening light too - magical. Eventually I got to a T junction 2 miles from Cambo - but turned the opposite way signed 'Rothbury 10 miles' - felt longer! Was getting tired. I thought it would be less hilly. It wasn't. There was a hard climb up to Forestburngate (?something like that), and another up after the turn to Simonside...and another up before the drop to Rothbury. I was now wondering how I was going to find the energy to get back to Thrunton...not exactly flat! Made it eventually - after 4 hours - on 3 hrs of fuel.

Tuesday 27th July 2010

long bike - 38 miles hilly - 4 hrs - 4pm

Thursday I braved Glenress with a carload of teenage boys and mountain bikes - so running for 2.5 hrs in the woods where I saw no-one the whole time - was blissful!! Pretty hilly. Some pretty bits. Some lovely views across the vallies in various directions. And some very boring and difficult to run on sharp, loose rocky fireroad towards the end...lots of foxgloves and meadowsweet..

Thursday 29th July 2010

long run - 2.5 hrs ?miles - probably not more than 8 or 9..a bit lacklustre..only had water with me..