SportsShoes Blog

My kids are now fully signed up members of Bingley Harriers and are both training with them on Tuesday evenings.

Hopefully they will do some races a bit later in the year when they can put in to practise all they’ve learnt.

I’ve always said that I’ll never push my kids into doing a sport they don’t want to do and I can honestly say that I have never pushed or even suggested that they start running but they seem to really enjoy it.

I think it’s fantastic that they want to follow in my footsteps - although I know it won’t be long before I’m following theirs as they run off into the distance leaving me puffing and wheezing with my knuckles trailing along the floor.

My youngest son is already telling me he wants to run the Ultra-trail Tour Du Mont Blanc when he’s 18 (he’s 8 now!!). At his age he’s no idea how hard runnning a 100 mile race is but I love his enthusiasm and, if one day he does it, I’ll be the proudest dad in Chamonix!!

The strength, stamina and speed they’ll develop running will obviously benefit them physically but will also no doubt help them with their many other activities such as footy, tennis, swimming etc etc etc

If there’s any mums or dads out there wondering how to get their kids into running / athletics (or even kids wanting to know where to ask Dad’s taxi to take them next) then bring them on down to Bingley Harriers (or any other local running club for those outside the area) - the junior section at Bingley is brilliant and very well run by some thoroughly decent chaps - a big hello and thank you to Dave, Graham and Tony who, along with a few other ‘oldies’, give up their valuable time to take the future stars of road and fell on their first training runs.

Well it’s been a bit warmer this week so I finally took my bike off the turbo and ventured outdoors! It was so much more enjoyable and the time just flew by! Did a good 3hr ride on Wednesday with Joel Davidson, a local rider and went up to Gargrave and back via Skipton.  Had another nice ride yesterday from Bingley over to Queensbury and along the lanes in Halifax - much to Joel’s surprise - apparently he expected me to ’stay where its flat and avoid the climbs’ …what cheek!

Also been in the gym this week over in Leeds, need to get my core back in gear after the Christmas break but with a couple of planks every day its coming along nicely!

Got exams at the moment so busy revising for those but by this time next week they’ll be over until June!

Well I’ve just passed a milestone in my running career.

I sent my entry off for the Langdale Fell race on Friday and had to circle the MV40 category on the entry form. I’m not 40 yet but Langdale’s in October by which time my life will have officially begun.

My training’s going steady at the moment but I’m looking forward to the lighter mornings when I can run off road with the dog - it’s still a tad dark for the woods and trails so I’m sticking to the back roads for the next couple of weeks.

Now that I’m running with KIMM in the morning a full week’s training should be about 10 - 12 sessions which I’m hoping should start to bear some fruit as the season progresses.

Next race is likely to be the Trog - weekend after next - this is a 20 mile grueler over the Pennines starting from Old Town near Hebden Bridge then over to the Withins ruin and back via lots of hills. A training run over Oxenhope and Ogden moors yesterday confirmed my suspicions that it might be a tad damp underfoot - think some new fell shoes might be in order as I was sliding about like Jane Torvil in my Walshies yesterday. This time I might try some of those spangly new Inov8 212 X-Talons - they look nice and with a funky name like that who can resist!!??

I need to start to think about getting some biking miles in as well as my entry to the Fred Whitton bike ride was succesful - aaaaggghhhh! My plan is to do lots of endurance training by biking to and from long slow running events.

had a good ten day lay off from training over the xmas period. been back training since the 2nd. mainly consisting of alot of cv and weights directed at the main muscle groups to get strength levels back up. going into to some plyometrics and SAQ this week though. and some lg squash.. next event is a small gran prix january 23-25 but mainly gearing towards maryland capital open, washington DC, mid feb…

How come when the news is full of stories of obesity, our obsession with the TV and the general laziness of our society, running races (particularly fell races) are seeing the biggest entry numbers for years.

I know it’s not exactly a new sport (in fact I’m sure it could put a case forward as being the oldest) but it really amazes me just how popular running or more specifically racing has become over the past 5 or so years (maybe it’s all down to the SS Blog!!). When I first enetered the 3 Peaks Fell Race (in 2003 I think) there were only about 250 runners and people were telling me that back in the good old days there were 2 or 3 times that number competing. I remember thinking at the time that I’d taken up a minority sport that was on its way to becoming extinct!!

Just 5 years on and here I am in January already having entered the Half Tour of Pendle in March, the Baildon Boundary and 3 Peaks Race in April, Wasdale in July and the Ben Nevis Race in September - and today I’ve been sent an e-mail with the Langdale fell race entry form and a message saying getting in quick as it’ll fill up - it’s not until mid October!!!

I’m not complaining, I think it’s fantastic that so many folk are running races - for many it’s a brave step to pin a number on and actually pitch yourself against others and the clock rather than just trotting round your well worn home circuit - but I’m sure if you speak to anyone that’s run a race they’ll tell you that’s it’s so much more fun than simply training.

I also think that if you get into racing, it brings a whole new meaning to training as now you’re not only doing it to get or stay in shape but you’re doing it to improve your performance, beat your mates or even try and win. Also, chances are that if you start racing you’re more likely to keep training which means long term health and fittness rather than just a short term improvement before slipping back into general laziness….

However, as a word of warning, if you’re thinking that getting good at running might be a route to making a fortune I’d forget it - I’ve got friends who are as good at racing on the fells as Kaka is at footy and they think they’ve had a good day if their prize money covers the cost of their petrol to get to the race…..

Thankfully it’s not about money it’s about getting out there in the fresh air, seeing our fabulous countryside and challenging your body against the best and worst the British weather can throw at it.

Go on enter a race and when you’ve done it and your covered in mud, your lungs feel like they’re going to burst and you want to be sick - tell me you didn’t enjoy it!!!

PS - A big hello to Pete D - thanks for reading.

This weather’s not too great for anything much really is it…..

After my bike spill last Friday I went to watch (rather than run) the Ovenden fell race and it was actually quite nice to sit down with my dog and cheer on / heckle all my pals whilst taking a few snaps.

My running partner Jamie had a good run taking 8th on the day and as it was a Bingley Harriers fell championship race there were loads of blue and white stripes on the hills which is always great to see.

Now KIMM (my dog) is 8 months old I’m running with her each morning - just 20 - 30 mins but it’s a great way to wake up, exercise the dog and get some free training in.

Tuesday night we did a speed session on the Bradford and Bingley Cricket field - it was great - almost like running on a track. I was really pleased with my session knocking out 12 laps all within 2 seconds of each other (1 min12 to 1min 14).

Wednesday I did 7+ miles on the road and misjudged the weather over dressing and finishing like a boil in the bag runner.

Thursday which was probably colder I went the other way and dressed down which I think helped me feel good all the way round a 9 mile hilly and reasonably quick route.

Friday it was just me and the dog and then Saturday and Sunday I trained on the bike - MTB Sat and Roadie on Sunday.

Then this afternoon I went to Peel Park to watch the National Cyclocross championship race - wow those guys are fit - the speed they were keeping up for 1 hour + through challenging muddy and slippy conditions was just unbelievable.

My Bingley pal Rob Jebb finished a very credible 5th place just behind 4 professional riders.

The 3 Peaks Fell Race entries open tomorrow so I’ll need to be quick on the mouse in the morning to book my place.

Well I’m feeling much better now - dont think the antibiotics really worked but a long break over the Christmas holidays helped me get the bug out of my system and I got back on the bike a week ago.  The plan is to do as much riding as possible on the turbo for the moment and avoid the icy outdoors to keep the cold off my chest.  It pretty much takes all the enjoyment out of riding my bike- I’ve just finished a monotonous 90 minutes sitting in the saddle and going no where - but its definitely better than nothing!

Happy New Year to you all - I hope you all had a great Christmas. Let me start by wishing you all the very best of luck for 2009.

Over the holidays I found out about a few more secret blog readers so a big hello to Helen, Adi, Simon and Denise.

I’ve had a great time over the past couple of weeks and managed to mix plenty of running and biking into the hectic schedule of present opening, eating, drinking and family visiting.

I did a road ride on the 29th with Martin my Calderdale Way relay partner and all round athlete and found the going really tough. I’ve not done a long ride for a while and after 48 miles I was completely done in (coasting back downhill to home I was hallucinating about food) - I’ve a long way to go to get ready for the Fred Whitton and the Marmotte.

On the 31st I finished the year off with the classic Auld Lang Syne fell race in Haworth. The popularity of this race is amazing - this year a record 590 runners descended on Penistone hill in FREEZING temperatures to run the 6.5 mile fell race up to the Top Withins ruin and back. The temperature was seriously cold (-6 degrees) - I reckon the coldest I’ve ever done a race in - and when we got back we looked more like arctic explorers than runners.

Although I never really felt great on the run my time wasn’t too bad and I finished 50th overall - results, pics and other stuff here   http://www.woodentops.org.uk/index.php?topic=als    

So after bonking on my bike a few days ago, I thought I’d get out and give it another try today - I did 20+ miles with plenty of hills and felt much better all the way around until……not 100 yards from home……I crashed in fine style on a downhill right hander. It was a very quick front wheel wash out and smash down with no warning and not even enough time to get the ‘I’ve crashed’ feeling that all bikers will be familiar with. The result, a battered bike, torn leggings and top, a pulled right calf muscle, gravel rash to right knee, hip, forearm, elbow and shoulder and a badly scuffed helmet where I tried to bury my head in the tarmac - OUCH. Lessons of the day - always wear a helmet and get some winter tyres!!!!!

Anyway, that’s snookered my chances of running in the Ovenden Fell Race tomorrow - think I’ll try and get a mountain bike ride in on Sunday and make a special effort to stay sunny side up…..