Humbleton Hill Fell Race 22 Jun. 2016

Race No. 70
justgiving.com/fundraising/Peter-Graham100

The Finish

Fell Running and Fell Racing is tough by its very nature, but the rewards are huge, both in terms of what you get during a run, the scenery, the challenge and the camaraderie of competitors, marshalls and spectators alike. After the event the camaraderie continues, often accompanied with home made cakes etc. The cost for all this? Very little. Compare this with Road Running, in fact don't, but I hope that you take my point.

At Haydon Bridge, last Wednesday, I queued with old and new friends to pay my £6.00 entry fee, before jogging up to the foot of Humbleton Hill to watch the junior fell runners, age from under 8 and upwards, finish their races. What a wonderful atmosphere on another beautiful, summers night.

This year I have ignored my fell running for no other reason then I was too busy with road races. This was a mistake and I paid for it right from the start. It is a tough start to this race as you climb straight up the field and enter woodland, still climbing.After what seemed like a lung bursting age, oh, at least ten minutes, I glanced at my Forerunner to find we had come precisely 0.58 of a mile. It must have been the first time ever that I have felt like quitting. What kept me going was that the field bunched at two kissing gates in quick succession giving me the chance to get some oxygen into my system. I was also encouraged by my Club rival, Neil Cassidy, not getting away from me, have I mentioned that I am competitive?

Humbleton is (only?) a five mile race, three miles up and two miles down, sounds easy, doesn't it. During those three uphill miles you climb over seven hundred feet. The race is described in the      F.R.A. handbook as category 'B' (medium severity of climb) and 'S' (short, ie 10 kilometers or less). If, in the past I have ran any 'A' (Pretty severe climb) and 'L'(over 20K), (Allendale Challenge?) they are a distant memory and I found the climbing hard. As I came out onto open moors I was in company with fellow Tynedale Harriers, Neil C., Steph Scott and Charlie Pinkney. At this point the hill is not as steep, instead it is boggy and tussocky. In a particularly deep, boggy hole Steph's little legs were in trouble, leaving me to battle it out with Neil and Charlie all the way to the top and turn for home.

Downhill, that is and, by, what I have lost in my climbing ability, I have retained in my mad, downhill descents and away I went!

Having averaged over 11 minute miles in ascending Humbleton Hill, I was down to 7 minute miling as I flew down that hill. Through the line, a drink of water and some lovely homemade cake, what could be better?

Actually, the Prizegiving. A wonderful, family friendly event involving whole families, the Pinkney's for one. When it came to my award as 1st V60 Male, I was moved by the presentation, by Marcus Byron,  of a personalised picture / certificate for this, the 70th race in my century of races, Life doen't get much better than this.

A final word of praise to Neil Cassidy, a smashing lad, yes, I won on the night, but Neal had already ran a tough fell race just a few days before. It obviously took a lot out of him.

I was 32nd out of 60 runners in 48.17.
Other Tynedale runners:
Andy Green 5th 37.58
Phil Vincent 7th 39.41
Robert Carter 20th 44.39
Hannah Pinkney 28th 46.21  1st L U18
Charlie Pinkney  34th  48.47 1st V 40 L
Neal Cassidy     35th   49.20
Steph Scott         37th  9.33 2nd L.

My Certificate

As part of my Going for a century of races challenge I am running this year's Great North Run to raise funds for the Percy Hedley Foundation a charity to help the disabled achieve their ambitions. A link to my Just Giving page is at the top of this page, please help in any small way you can.

The Newburn River Run 2016

George Stephenson's Cottage on Keelsmans Way

Race No. 69

I didn't have far to travel for the Newburn River Run, just a few miles down river by car, before running back to Wylam via Keelman's Way and George Stephenson's Cottage (above).

Of course, I then had to run back to Newburn, but that's running for you.

Having lived in Wylam for thirty years, I wouldn't like to think of how many times I have ran this route, but in all that time I have always been surprised at the  time difference between training runs and racing.

Going back some twenty years, I was always disappointed that I couldn't break forty minutes for the 6.5 mile loop, my best being 41 minutes. Even then, my training runs were nearer 50 minutes. Now it is nearer 60 minutes for training, what could I race it in?

Lining up at the start, I was just behind my friendly rival, Harry Matthews,  representing the organising club, Elswick. Harry had  told me that his next birthday would take him out of the V65 category in January. He also mentioned that the top runner in our category, Mark McNally, another Elswick runner, would join him in the V70 category next April. Any hope that this would give me an opening for top spot, was soon dashed when I remembered that there is always fresh new talent arriving in whichever age category you occupy.

Then the race started and I set off with the front runners. A glance at my Forerunner told me I was at 5.55 pace, too fast and I eased off. At least I was now running at a comfortable pace as the first mile passed in 6.44. Every mile which followed was a few seconds slower, maybe, just maybe I have been overdoing it?

At the end I recorded 48.40 for 95th position. Harry Matthews was 51st in 45.31 (1st V60) and Mungai Wairia, (Claremont) was 92nd (2nd V60) relegating me to 3rd V60. Other Tynedale Harriers recorded:
50.04 Nick Wilson 115th
53.44 Louise Griffin 157th
58.47 Lucie Ellman  219

266 ran.

The Blaydon Race 2016

Race No.68

My rival Harry Matthews, Elswick (left on picture)

The Blaydon Race is one of the biggest road races in the North East and also one of my favourites, a flat, fast race with lots of atmosphere. This year I went one better than last year and finished second in the V65 category to my long time rival Harry Matthews, Elswick, pictured above.

Out of over four thousand runners I was number 730 and five seconds faster than 2015 in 40.05. In my own category and I was second of 68, but as the Remain voters have found you get nothing for second place and for yet another race I got nothing, not even an image on any web site. It was the same in the Sunderland 10K, so I will just have to try harder in the next race.

Races in my extended challenge are coming up pretty regularly at the moment, averaging two a week, in a few days its a very local race, the Newburn Riverside, which passes through my village, Wylam. Read how I got on in my next blog.

Grasmere Gallop 10K Trail Race

Race no. 67

Heading back to Grasmere

Starting to tire in the heat. The chap behind catches me on last climb!

 

 

 

I just love Grasmere in the Lake District. A tourist hot spot, yes, but within a few minutes walk, or run, from the village centre you are in true Cumberland countryside. That is certainly true of the route for The Grasmere Gallop, whether you choose the Nordic Walk, 5k trail run, 10K or 17K as over 800 people found out on Sturday 4 June 2016.

It was the 10K Trail Race for me as I followed up a tough Vindolanda 10K in midweek with a trip to Grasmere on the Saturday. Travelling from a cool North East to a very warm Lake District I wasn't as pleased at the 25c temperature as were those tourists.

Setting off in brilliant sunshine it was a hard climb up the road section , before turning onto the woodland path which keeps climbing ever upwards. Suddenly, we were onto an undulating stoney path looking down onto Grasmere Lake and Rydal Water. All too soon, the 10K route back to Grasmere was indicated by markers pointing down to the lake and I branched off to the right leaving the braver 17K runners to continue on towards Ambleside ( my choice next year).

Another couple of  steep climbs reminded me that I still had Vindolanda in my legs, before we dropped down to the lake itself (pictured above). A nice, flat stretch followed along the lake shore , but the climb back to the road found my 'tank' on empty giving my pursuer, John Ward, Abbey Runners, the chance to get past.

Back onto the road section,it was all downhill into Grasmere, but try as I might, I could not pull in John Ward as I chased him all the way to the line.

Crossing the line in 50.35 I was 'blown' and for the first time ever was asked if I needed to sit down. "No", I replied, before pouring water over my head and looking for a seat. I sat, had lots to drink and recovered.

Last year I had finished first V60 in 50.12, this year I was second, some 23 seconds slower, that will do for me.

I was Tynedale Harrier's only male runner, the ladies however, were well represented, both in the 10K and the 17K, brave souls. Here are our results:

10K Trail Race
41st    Peter Graham      50.35 2nd V65
146     Hilary Graham    62.44  2nd V60
299     Judith Skedge      79.34
344     Joy Ryall              95.28

17K Trail Race
89th    Nicky Jeffrey              1.47.09
104     Bridgettt Broadhurst   1.52.38
125     Kim Firstbrook           1.57.49
134     Lucia Ellman              2.00.04
169     Liz Foster                    2.12.34

Going For 100 Races

Race No. 66 Vindolanda 10K

Me at the finish - look at that sky!

 

 

https://65forizzi.blogspot.com

http://www.justgiving.com/Peter-Graham100

This is, I hope, my new blog which over the coming months will be a record of my next 35 races, as I extend the original 65 race challenge (65forizzi, link above) to the full 100. With a little luck this will finish on my next birthday, 29 March 2017, and will mean that I have completed one hundred races over a two year period.

The biggee will be the Great North Run, Sunday 11th September 2016, which I am running to raise funds for the PERCY HEDLEY FOUNDATION, a charity to support the disabled to achieve their ambitions. Please click on the link above and donate any amount, no matter how small to help them achieve them.

When you see how much I enjoyed the first sixty five races, in my original challenge, you will understand why I am not giving up a running challenge, just yet. This tough, hilly race from the Vindolanda Roman Fort, was the first of the final thirty five, here are the highlights:

It was a lovely summer's evening over Hadrian's Wall as I drove west along the Military Road to the Vindolanda Roman Fort near to Haltwhistle in Northumberland. After picking up my number, I warmed up for the race on the quiet country road outside the fort. I was immediately on a steep downhill stretch, followed by an even steeper climb. Undulating would be an understatement of the terrain for the race.

All too soon we were off on a slight up hill stretch through the first mile. Then downhill, which allowed my pace to increase from 7.09 for mile one, to 6.37 for mile two. Mile three was undulating, then up and up to the highest point in the race at mile five and what a lung bursting effort to the top. During these climbs the pace had dropped from 7.57 for mile three, 8.43 for mile four, to 9.42 for the final slog.

Miles five to six took you onto The Stanegate, a straight Roman Road which quickly dropped the race through nearly five hundred feet. A final short, steep climb, then a turn into the fort and through the line. Hurrah, that was warm work.

Tynedale Harriers Results

Craig Bradshaw 37.31 (4th)
Andrew Shone   47.03 (35th) 1st V50
Peter Graham     48.00 (40th) 1st V65
Steph Scott        50.32 (56th)  Ladies team Winners

Maureen Parker 53.35 (64th)    -     do  -
Louise Griffin    55.41 (75th)    -     do   -

153 ran.

PS
I have already completed Races 67 Grasmere Gallop 10k, 68 Blaydon Race and 69 Newburn River Run. Tomorrow is the Humbleton Fell Race, Haydon Bridge, watch out for my blog on these races.