Bradwell Fell Race

Last night I did the Bradwell Fell Race. Ive never done this one before and that is possibly because I normally dont race the week leading up to the Borrowdale Race. I was itching to have a run though so I dashed across the Peak District to the Samuel Fox Inn near the sports ground. The race runs very quickly through the village and climbs very sharply up onto the moor at the top. With such a fast run to the fellside it was a walk run technique as I neared the top of the climb. A quick blast over the moor with brilliant views of Win Hill, Lose Hill and the ridge over to Mam Tor. Then the rapid descent back down to the playing field. The track down to the rough part of the descent was hard on my legs but as soon as I got onto the short rough part I felt much better. I leapt the cattle grid as I always do if I come to one in a race and ran into the finish funnel after a lap of the playing field to finish 9th place. Happy with that and Im guessing about 28minutes all in all. A lovely race and labelled at 750ft for just over 4.5miles.

Back at the van and Ive run out of my favourite Caramel Lattes. I did brew up a trusty sachet of good old kenco but it needed at least 25 extra sachets of milk to make it drinkable.
A great night and again no chips on the way home

Stoney Middleton Fell Race

Well no pictures for this one and I don't even know whereabouts I finished in the race. I had a good race though and seemed to be quite high up in the placings. As usual I didn't use a stopwatch or take a time. It's a very fast start with a dash around the playing field and then onto a track which takes you to the foot of the killer 20per cent hill. Past the Moon Inn and climb for what seems like forever up the road. You then turn left and follow a rough track whilst still climbing and basically horseshoe round over the top of the hill before you descend back down through the woods. I caught a runner in front but couldn't get by him. He had me on the road though and just pulled away from me. There is a little sharp steep climb before you blast down into the finish field
A quick drink in the pub with a few other Pennine Clubmates and then the usual drive back through the Peak District. I went through Chatsworth Estate on the way home and it was stunning.
Just need to find the results now.

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.