Sheldon Fell Race

Last night was the Sheldon Fell Race.
Not a difficult race really but it sets off like a rocket as the first quarter of the route is downhill. I had set this race as what I call my checking my progress race. Unlike a lot of runners who pick out the larger more popular races to work to and try and improve their time from previous years, I tend to use the shorter faster races to see how I am doing. Last year I was 6th and just over 28minutes so at th start I wasn't feeling confident on beating that. The hooter set us off and I just ran as fast as I could with the usual suspects around me. By the time I reached the las part of the race which includes a short wicked climb I was really hurting. I managed to just about run up the climb in a fashion and t the finish I was shot. 6th again but 2 minutes quicker. Simply answer for this is the fact I weigh less than I did last year. Ive recently cut down my weekly mileage and started eating less. It seems to have worked over the last few races that I have done but I am not sure about the long fell races where I have always seemed to need a bit more meat on my bones. Time will tell and I didnt even have a bag of chips on the way home last night.
Its a lovely race is Sheldon and is brilliantly organised

Bevelling Hot

With the recent hot spell I though Id take a picture of one of the more difficult summer jobs in our factory. Plate bevelling is hot work, very hot work. Nice in winter but def not in summer.

The plate beveller never stops. From 6am till 5pm it goes up and down the track cutting the bevelled edges o our wearblades. I have had my share of hours on this job. Its quite a physical job and you have to be careful what your touching.

My Mercian

Its taken a while but custom build bikes do. Its just how it is. I collected my new Mercian today and blasted out 40miles on it and then sat down just looking at it. When I was a youngster to have a Mercian was like entering into an aristocratic world of road cycling. All the best roadmen around here owned on. Most like me had to make do with a Raleigh Arena or say a Banana team copy bike. Well I saved my pennies and now have my own Mercian.
Not quite as quick as my Rourky as its made of slightly heavier tubing and doesnt have Cosmic Carbone wheels but the ride went well and with the smaller frame size which is just over 51" it gives me a little more of a touring style of ride. You have a little more toe overlap but after about 10 miles I was used to it.

The famous head tube badge

Reynolds 631. You wont get a more comfier ride than this steel.

Clover

These are the first pictures I have taken of my new bike. My Mercian Strada Speciala. hand filed clover leaf lugs.
I might just kiss it goodnight

Skiddaw Fell Race

Well last year it was very hot but this time around it rained very hard. It was quite windy as well. The race was cut short at the gate just before the summit plateau so I was back a few minutes before I expected to be. I came home in 21st place, managed to actually run all the way to the gate as well. Last year in that heat I had to walk a few small parts of the climb but this time I was detemined to run all he way up. Anyway the summit wasn't to be but still it was a great race in tough conditions. If your planning your first Lakeland Fell race this one taks some whacking.
I turned at the gate and still couldn't beat Kenny Stuarts record. Hey Ho

Heading back towards the drop down past Latrigg. This is the point your legs start to say NO NO NO.
A brilliant race.