EPIC RUN

RUN TO THE HILLS Setting off on my run round Parbold, my legs felt incredibly dead! I'd not felt good on Friday and today my legs still had not recovered from the Thursday session with Rob and Tracey when we ran 2 x 5k at about 10k pace. Would i have to abandon my long run! Thankfully my legs came around to the idea of a long steady effort, after 2 hours I wanted more! So i pushed on for 2 extra climbs, this gave me a total of 6 climbs and well in excess of 2500 ft of climbing.
My Route;
I set off from Parbold village , then ran up stoney lane, this is a one mile climb steep at the bottom and again at the top but a bit flatter in the middle, my best time for this uphill mile is 7.17 which inc 400ft of ascent. I take a left and then head along the road before turning onto the quarry rd path, dropping downhill to the start of the Harrock hill race, a right turn takes me past the farmers arms Pub and then i head up what looks like an extinct volcano, this is the fearsome Hunters hill 400ft, once at the top i run down through the fields to Parbold village again. My next challenge is Ashurst beacon a good 2 miles of uphill, after a good 15 mins I reach the top and turn left, down the road used for the start of the Ashurst Beacon fell race, it drops downhill like a mad fair ground ride, with twists and turns and hairpin bends! i carry on past the old quarry I turn right then left after 1/2 a mile and head for the next hill, over the canal bridge and then over the railway climbing onwards to dangerous corner, across the main rd and climbing continues, once at the top I turn right then left and take a breathtaking ride on a roller coaster country road, after a mile I turn left up a back lane which turns into an ancient cobbled path used since the mists of time to reach the now ruined windmill, up to the top of Harrock hill i pass a man who looks surprised that am running up such a steep hill. Back on the harrock hill race route I plunge downhill through a field then on passed the race finish. I turn left and run up hunters hill for the second time before my final downhill journey through the fields back to Parbold and the finish of my run! 2 hours 33 mins.
I think Arthur Lydiard would have been impressed with my route, if not my speed!
Fri 1st
very easy run over the sandhills = 44mins
Thur 31st
2 x 5 k round the Marine lake, with Rob and Tracey, put what I'd learned from reading the BRAIN TRAINING FOR RUNNERS book to good use. Towards the end of each effort Rob was giving me a hard time and I started to drift off his pace, I thought to myself I CAN HANDLE THIS [ the pain that is!] BRING IT ON! I increased my pace and pulled up along side Rob with a smile on my face instead of a grimace. the pain from the effort of running at excess of 10k pace eased as I excepted and embraced the pain of running fast! I learned something new today, who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks!
= 1.10
Tue 29th
sandhill run with STEADY EDDIE setting a hot pace
= 1.10
Mon 28th
run over the sandhill to meet up with the club.
4 x 1k, then ran back with Rob = 2.13