Race Review - The Derby Runner XC League - Race6 Holly Hayes Wood - 1st Mar 2015

With our usual team captain pulling out last minute with flu, I said i would help out and bring my pop up tent so we would have some where covered to leave our kit and a meeting point. I thought it would be best to get there early to set up and be ready for the rest of the team arriving. It was a good job I had arrived early as it was a good 10 minute walk from the cap park to the event village.

Once the tent was set up and tethered to a nearby tree I stood around drinking coffee until the familiar faces arrived and we got chatting and preparing for the race. It was fairly windy but still quite warm and dry, so everyone was looking forward to a good race. As it got closer to 11 am we had all striped down to racing kit and hovered around the PA system awaiting instructions.

Under direction we plodded 50 metres down the hill to the start line ready for a muddy uphill sprint start. The pack today was for both men and women and everyone was in good spirits, laughing at mud squelching and runners slowly sinking as we waited for the gun.

As the gun went we racing uphill for a 100 metres, I managed to to take an outside line and raced through the pack struggling with the slimy mud. into the first corner and things settled down quite quickly on the wide hard packed path trail. We soon swapped the hard trail for a woodland track which was narrow with patches of thick mud and ankle grabbing roots. A quick dash through a steam and we had completed the first 'small' lap, with a 'medium' and 'large' lap left to go.

I was feeling good and strong and happily picking off the odd runner. The medium lap started with a small hill but I managed to keep the power on, and cruised up the hill. The climb was worth all the added pain, as the following descent was on narrow paths littered with rocks, turns, fallen trees, and exposed tree roots, this was wonderful running, fast and technical that required strong focus and confidence. I loved it. As we left the woods over a different part of the stream we had a short section round the edge of a sodden grass field. This was incredibly energy sapping and brought my pace right down. The end of the grassy field marked the end of the 'medium' lap and the start of the final 'large' lap.

The final lap was great but I was loosing the odd position and had to work hard to not drop too many places. The route was familiar as we following parts we had already ran along, the hill seemed steeper the second time round, but I kept my pace up, the woodland section was just as much fun, belting through the single track dodging rocks and muds. The second time I hit the grassy field, my legs felt like lead and was a real struggle to keep running. As the finish line came into sight I had 2 guys in front of me and it was time to empty the tank and see if i could handle a 200 metre sprint. First guy was taken early on but the second guy was going to be harder work and closer. I was pushing as hard as I could but line was getting closer and closer, with only a couple of metres to go I managed to get past and cross the line just ahead of him.

It would have been nice to celebrate my mini victory but I could barely stand up after the hard sprint finish. luckily I managed to recover pretty quick and wondered over to the team tent, for some water and sugary snacks. I caught up with other runners who had finished and clapped in those that followed. This has been a great race and a great league, shame it has to end.

Strava:
Thanks to:
http://www.derbyrunnerleague.com/
SL Images
http://www.hermitageharriers.co.uk/

Kit:
Shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 200
Socks: MoreMile Running Socks
Shorts: Nike Dry Fit
Top: Team Derby Runner Vest (Ron Hill)
Watch: Polar RC3 GPS

Race Review - The Derby Runner XC League - Race5 Bosworth Country Park - 15th Feb 2015

After getting back from a week in the Alps on Saturday night, I was never sure I was going to make the Sunday fixture, so my pre race meal of choice wasn't very well thought out. Chippy chips, battered sausage and half a bottle of Rose. I woke fairly early and unpacked a load of the holiday bags, got kitted up, grabbed a banana and a flask of coffee before hitting the road and driving through the fog to Bosworth Country Park.

Once I had parked up I headed over to the team tent and caught up with the rest of my team mates and generally larked about drinking coffee, spreading rumours about the course and making last minute kit checks.

Once we mustered on the starting line the race director gave a quick briefing before a very quick 'Ready', 'GO!' the chorus of GPS watches being beeped into life, and the surge of runners springing into life. It was a fairly wide start so I ducked and dived through first 200 meters, suddenly the course took a 90 degree turn on to a single file track and was hit by a stationary group of runners. A wave of groaning swept back towards the oncoming runners, but it was very short lived before we were back to full pace once the path slightly widened. I quick dip in a muddy ditch caused a slight queue, but my years of obstacle racing  experience kicked in a pushed to over take before the ditch to avoid queuing and saw the the ditch was wide enough to go 2 abreast and just piled in, through and out the other side. It was a shame to see so many other runner loosing shoes and having to stop and retie laces, but I didn't spend too long thinking about it before getting back up to running pace.

The course was relatively flat and mainly skirting the edges of agricultural fields, occasionally we dipped into wooded sections and gravel paths, but it was a head down and run day, rather than a head up and admire the views day. With about 4km to go a we hit a real slog of a hill right through the middle of a freshly wheat plugged field. The ground was soft and sodden, and soon completely clogged up my running shoes with thick heavy mud. This was by far the slowest part of the course, due to the hill and added weight of the mud on my shoes. Remarkably, a guy in front of me lost his shoe to the heavy mud, and after a pause to try and replace his shoe, he took the decision to abandon both his shoes and carry on in just his socks! He was a great runner and after his short wardrobe change pulled away up the hill.

I kept Mr Zola Budd in my sights as he picked off more runners. 'Surly I can beat a guy running in his socks?' He was my target and focus for the next kilometre of fields, unfortunately we hit more gravel paths and he looked like he was really suffering, trying to find softer grass on the edges of the path. I congratulated his courage as I passed him, but I don't think my admiration helped his mood or frustration. This was now just a case of keeping up the speed to the end, I still managed to pick off a few other runners which gave me a good boost of energy and confidence.

The event village was now in view and the pace and competitiveness picked up I guy came past me with about 300 meters to go so I stuck to his shoulder and pressured him as we gained on another runner. I was now running a full pace, but the both pulled away in the last 20 meters, I could keep up, glanced over my shoulder to make sure there were no other runners catching me up and slowed up before hitting the finish line. Once the tunnel vision and nausea had subsided I congratulated the 2 other runners and went back to the team tent to recorded my position with our team captain and RACE WINNER! Congratulations Jordan! before popping a hoody on and clapping in the rest of the team.

With some great post race cake and the rest of the coffee, the team swapped stories and reviewed our kit and had a great time just chatting and slowly getting out of the muddy kit into warmer and drier clothes.


Thanks to:
http://www.derbyrunnerleague.com/
http://www.hinckleyrunningclub.com/
SL Images for the photos

Kit worn:
Shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 200
Socks: More Mile Running socks
Shorts: Nike DryFit
Top: Mudstacle Tech Shirt and Team Derby Runner Running Vest
Gloves: Cheap (£1) polyester / wool gloves from decathlon
Head: Born Survivor seamless head scarf
Watch: Polar RC3GPS

Race Review - Winter Warrior - 31st Jan 2015

http://www.mudstacle.com/2015/02/xrunner-winter-warrior-removing-timing-chip-fun.html

Race Review - Hell and Back - 25th Jan 2015

http://www.mudstacle.com/2015/01/mudstacle-tour-hell-back-planes-guinness-good-irish-craic.html

Race Review - The Derby Runner XC League - Race4 Bradgate Park - 18th Jan 2015

It was a cold and frosty morning when we arrived onsite after a missed M1 junction and a bit of country road re routing to get us there. But we arrived in plenty of time and headed over to the wash of coloured tents and flags to find Team Derby Runner's tent. We had plenty of time to catch up with team mates and other runners from other teams. It was very chilly so we waited until the very last moment before stripping down to our race gear, and wondered over to the start line. I saw a mate from a rival team standing in non race kit and wondered over to see why he wasn't racing, as we chatted about his very unfortunate injury the jostling for position had started and I made my way to the back of the pack. It was very busy with just over 400 males lined up ready. It was good fun in the pack with the usual banter about giving the whippets at the front a head start, and listening intently to the locals about the best places to pick up speed and suitable areas for over taking.

The Derby Runner XC League Bradgate Park - Thanks to SL Images

When the gun went the pack started up a steady incline which was nice and wide, I started to weave through the runners and try and get some space, but it was very tight and you needed to have ultimate trust in the runner in front as you are so close to his heels. If he falls I fall! On a few occasions I went off piste and made a few overtaking manoeuvres through the bracken which worked quite well a few times. However a bad error of judgement, and poor line picking skills at one stage put me in a bracken filled trench. A quick climb out, amused my fellow runners so I stayed on the path for the next few minutes and picked off runners one by one.

It was a glorious day with the ground still hard with ground frost, the air still as fresh as it was dawn, the skies clear and icy blue, with the sun shining bright and clean. The course took a 90 degree bend and we where thrown into the shadow of the hill, the temperature dropped several degrees and bit like cobra as I slogged up a steeper hill. I hadn't noticed but we had been steadily climbing for just over a mile, so when the descent started it was a great relief and time to open up the legs. The pack had nicely thinned out but still plenty of runners around to make sure I didn't let off the accelerator and plenty of targets to seek out and pass.

The Derby Runner XC League Bradgate Park - Thanks to SL Images

As we reached the start / finish area for the start of the second shorter, steeper lap I was getting into a nice rhythm and enjoying the more open course with less tightly packed runners. My good mood was soon shattered by the view of a HUGE steep hill in the distance. This ubiquitous monolith loomed over the horizon, it was a demoralising half kilometre heading for certain pain and suffering. I managed about a third of the hill before being broken down to walking pace. All the pain, all the burning in the chest and all the stress in the legs were soon washed away when a fellow runner wheezed. "would you look at that". I lifted my gaze from the rock and dirt path and saw a beautiful morning landscape of woods, hills, farms and villages. THIS IS WHY I RUN! Being healthy, and endorphins are are nice side effects but this was a real treat for a Sunday morning!

With the view taken in, it was not back to focusing on the ground 2 metres ahead of me. If was a huge mile of downhill running now. I felt really strong, and the added gravity assistance, was great, I picked off all the runners that had taken me on the climb and a few more besides. I saw a mate from obstacle races, took a few deep breaths and cruised passed with a cheerful 'hello', Then after a couple of metres resumed my wheezing and cursing, cant have him thinking I was struggling! The final hill wasn't too big so I pushed hard to keep up the pace, and it felt great. It was a great feeling to be running up the hill at pace, I knew the short downhill section to the finish line would bring out everyone's competitive side and started my sprint finish at the very top. This was dumb, but fun. I was running way faster than I felt safe to do so, but wasn't prepared to let anyone pass. I was neck and neck with another guy right at the line, but he had the inside line and took the honors right on the finish tape! Good work Sir!

This was a great race with virtually no flat sections, a huge turnout, and a brilliant atmosphere. We all hung around and clapped in the rest of the team and all the runners whilst we compared war wounds and stories until the last runner came in, before headed off to get warm and drive home.



Thanks to SL images for the photos
and the Derby Runner League

Race Review - The Derby Runner XC League - Race3 Sinai Park - 4th Jan 2015

With plenty of runners from Team Derby Runner heading to the event there was no shortage of car pooling options, but I opted for the 'It's only 20 miles away, I'll cycle there and back'. A quick bike and kit check the night before and I was all set to cycle from Belper to Burton on a combination of roads and canal tow paths. I had given my self 1 hour 45 minutes allowing for extra faffing, getting lost, getting changed at the venue and general pre race mooching about and catching up with other runners.

I set off around 0915 and the nightly frost was still everywhere, and the temperature was holding at a 1 degree centigrade. Even in full finger neoprene gloves my finger tips were pretty painful and cold but I just got on with it. It had been a few months since I had last been out on my bike so it felt great to be back in the saddle and racing along. The first 20 kilometres were all on the road, but when the route took me onto the tow path of the Trent Mersey canal, things got a little more dicey,

I was Expectations of a compacted trail or a tarmac path alongside the canal were soon dashed, it was just grass, frozen puddles and mud. Oh. Luckily I ride a cross country bike, so it's just as happy off road as on road, also it was beautiful. The low lying fog was still hovering, ducks and swans were gliding on the water, the grass and a frosty white bite all around. So I happily dropped a few gears and slogged through the frozen clumps of grass and shattered the layers of ice on the puddles. By now my hands had nicely warmed up, but my feet were getting colder due to the exposure and the moisture being kicked up from the grass.

It's lonely at the back

The tow path was really slow and cumbersome, I was becoming aware that I was falling way behind on my estimated time of arrival, so I climbed up the embankment and joined the road. After a few stops to check GoogleMaps I was almost on site. Thanks to a few large signs and other later runners rushing to the start line it was easy to find the event village. The usual running club flags and tents had been pitched and I quickly found the Team Derby Runner tent and started my change from cycling kit to running. Then I heard race director shout:
"GO!"
I turned to see a few hundred runners set off. BOLLOCKS! Fuck it. I've made the effort to get here I'm running this course even if I have to start late and come last. I finally got my running shoes on, dumped my outer layers and threw on my team vest over my cycling jersey and headed for the start line.

The marshals at the starting area where highly amused and supportive of my late start and encouraged me to catch up with the tail runners. I ran on my own for at least 1.5 kilometres before sighting the tail runners, no sooner had I caught up with them I hit a queue for a tight corner with deep mud. The rest was welcomed and when the course widened out I could open up my legs again and start gaining some places. It was fun chasing down so many other runners, and overtaking was easy as the course was mainly on open grassland and a small woodland section.

After about 4 kilometres the course had a pretty big hill which destroyed my legs and forced me to walk most of it. This hill killed my pace and I was now really struggling to continue working my way through the other runners. About 5 minutes later there was a monster hill on the course. I tried to run up it but that was just daft. It was hard enough to try and walk up. It took my legs a while to recover at the top of the hill.
-
-

Yup running in cycle gear isn't great!

The final 3 kilometres of the course were pretty flat and I managed to get back up to a reasonable pace, but the bike ride and hills had really taken it out of my legs. Once back at the bottle neck I got a rest as we queued for the style. Once over the style I knew it was about a mile to the finish and a pretty fast descent too. So I put the hammer down and went as fast as I could. It wasn't that fast. But it was fun. The marshals near the start / finish were complimentary of my efforts, and very funny too. The final romp downhill was a blast and my jelly legs had no choice but to bumble down the hill at full pace and hope that my legs have been paying attention to all the videos and writings of Killian Jornet. I made it safely to the finish and headed back to the team tent and was mercilessly ribbed, laughed at and generally insulted for being such a Muppet. It was what I deserved it is was all in great humour.

My pack-up consisted of three apples which where instantly inhaled and washed down with icy water from my water bottle. I usually have a hoody and big coat to put on after a race, but all I had was my damp sweaty wind breaker and beanie today. the dry socks were a great comfort as I slowly changed back in to cycling gear. Our team captain took pity on me and offered a ride back in the van, but if I wanted an easy day I would have car pooling in the first place, so I sadly declined the offer.

-
-
I decided on national cycle paths and roads for the journey back, and although cycling alongside the busy and noisy A38 isn't as idyllic as frosty canals, it was going to be quicker and easier. It was all going pretty well on the ride how until I reached Derby city centre. As I rode down St' Peter's Street (Yes, I know I should have gotten off and pushed) The smell of McDonalds hit my nose. I hate McDonalds but I was just so hungry! I didn't stop and eat, but for the final 7 mile ride home all I could think about was dirty, greasy, lard filled, junk food. It was a nightmare. I was so distracted by hunger and food, a mountain biker overtook me on a uphill!

Not today buddy! I might not be a skinny lycra clad whippet, on a full road bike, but surly my dropped handle bars and rigid setup is faster on the roads than your full suspension rig and fat tyres! I pushed hard but he just kept pulling away. I was burning everything I had to keep up with this out-of-place, two wheeled, cushioned, trick bike. Ironically I gained on the fat tired tribesman on the downhill, so I planned my attack for last downhill between here and home. So I raced hard up the final hill and was about 10 metres behind, and as I crested the hill, I got out of my saddle and cranked hard to build up momentum. I dropped back in to the saddle just before I over took. A cheery and wheeze-free "afternoon" from me as I cruised past, I gave it a few metres before resuming my Darth Vader breathing and swearing at my crying thighs. I had roughly 3 kilometres to maintain this narrow lead before I could relax and stop at my house. This really hurt I was so tired, and shouldn't make these races up in my head. The mountain biker was probably just having a nice ride out, and here I am thinking we are competing for the maillot jaune! I survived the 3km and pulled off the main road and watched my knobbly tired nemesis cruise on with his journey.

What a day, some great riding and running, but now was time for shower and FOOD!

Thanks to
Derwent runners and SL Images for the images and The Derby Runner League for such a great event.

Race Review - Holly Bush Fun Run - 1st Jan 2015

This race is a 10 minute run from my house. But after a 4am finish at a new years eve party and a 6am wake up call from the little 'un. I was feeling pretty ropey so called on the generosity of my mate who had stayed over at our house, and he dropped me off at the race on his way home. It was already pretty busy at the pub car park, with people limbering up and chatting about how mince pies and chocolates they had eaten since their last run.

Once everyone had registered and had their races numbers we all gathered just outside the pub. Humorous and informative warnings and instructions given about the conditions underfoot, the route and how to claim your finishers reward. The race was then start with a very large shotgun fired into the air. This stunned the racers who where still milling around at the back, and ejected the front runners from a standing stance to full pace running.

The start was a great uphill narrow trail, I was fairly near the front but was still keen to push hard early on and fought past a few runners. I was feeling surprisingly light on feet and going at a decent pace. Turns out late night drinking and early morning crying babies is in fact a great preparation for racing!

Oh wait. That breath tasted a little like that obscure Hungarian spirit we bought on holiday a few years back because it had a funny bottle and an amusing name. Oooo that bottled dark black 7% porter does lie heavy on the stomach. Yes, Czech lagers are very fizzy and provide a lot of gas. Yes home made rhubarb vodka, sloe gin, raspberry vodka are all very tasty little tipples but do make you head swim a little.

I have no idea what gave me the energy and inflated sense of heroism for the 1st km, but as soon as I started the road climb, everything went wrong. All I could do was focus on was trying to keep contents of my stomach where they should be, a heady mixture of drinks, twiglets and cocktail sausages was now sloshing around. I managed not to break into a walk but just plodded on, watching other runners cruise past. The top of the hill was such a welcome site, a few families gathered at the top of the hill to cheer on the plucky runners. I usually thank everyone that claps or cheers me on, but I wasn't in the mood for cheeriness, and swearing at perfectly polite and cheery spectators wouldn't be a great start to the year, so I chose a vow of silence instead. Once back on the trails, I was back in my element and took advantage of super grippy trail shoes and pushed hard for the final downhill kilometre. I managed to over take a few nervous runners in road shoes, a few slippery steps brought me back within sight of the pub. I very happily knocked on the front door of the pub (If you don't knock on the door, you don't get a time).

Once I had clapped in the rest of runners, I went inside and collected my finishers reward which is a stunning half pint glass, with the event details etched on the side!

I'm never drinking again!
Well not drinking again in January
Well not drinking in January apart from the Hockey Team's Christmas Party
Well not drinking in January apart from the Hockey Team's Christmas Party and the trip to Ireland.

http://www.hollybushinnmakeney.co.uk/