Saturday 27th October

The Start

Today we met in the Clough Bank car park (Grimshaw Lane, Bollington) at 9.00am. CLICK HERE on a very cold and frosty morning (note to ourselves - bring gloves and hat!).

The focus this week was 'speed-work' and we did three exercises along the Middlewood Way which soon had everybody working hard and getting the heartrate buzzing. Speed-work will help with your endurance as well as getting you familiar with what running faster feels like (now we can all admire runners like Mo Farrah).

There were some very good turns of speed today (yes, Oliver - that means you as nobody could catch you!) and hard work done by everybody - who would have thought when you all started that you could run for a full minute so fast without keeling over (and then do it again for 45 seconds etc).

In total (including the speed-work) we ran about 3.4 miles (a bit over 5k). A few of us managed a good chat and coffee at the Waterside Café afterwards.

Neil

Speed-work

Speedwork

end of the first speed session

Gathering for the second session

On the canal bridge

Farm Track - sunshine

Oliver at speed

Frosty fields

Excellent running styles...

Is that a bottle I see?

Saturday 20th October

Before the run - sunshine!

Today we met at 9.00am in the car park by the recreation area on Adlington Road (near the Vale Inn) - just by the new skateboard park. Click HERE to see the location.

Another lovely day and a great turnout (14 runners plus Neil & Phil). Phil Gaskell (C Group Leader) also came along to join the group to see how we do things (thanks Phil).

We ran in two groups today with a large group (with Phil) running the entire CAFOD route (4.5 miles) in 51mins and a smaller group (with Neil) doing almost all the route (4.1 miles) in just under 50 mins. There was a bit of competition today as the larger and 'slightly faster' group tried to catch the other group. With some good tactics the second group kept ahead and finished a few seconds before the larger group.

There was some very good running today with everybody pushing themselves to 'do that little bit more' whether it was to run a bit faster, less walk-breaks - it does not matter!

So - well done, great turnout, good running and a good long 'natter' in the Waterside Cafe afterwards.

Try to get at least one mid-week run and be ready for speedwork on Saturday 27th October!

Neil
ps Sorry about poor photography today - my phone camera is not so happy with the bright sunshine and shady paths
pps We hope that Louise's hamster gets better soon.

Back safe & sound ... just a few seconds before the second group

So fast - just a blur...

Phil & Cheryl (thanks Phil!)

Cooldown before coffee

Saturday 13th October

Start - in the sunshine

Once again we had good weather but the recent wet weather had made the Bollin Valley very muddy (it was fine on Thursday afternoon!). We had 11 runners out today (in the past this would have been a large group but after recent weeks this was much smaller!) - in fact a few people were 'down with the lurgy' and could not make it. I think we may rename to 'Team Aldi' after the recent set of purchased running gear!

We started down the Bollin Valley to do the 'Prestbury Circuit' but the mud was not good and there was a lot of surface water about so we cut across past the golf course onto Dorchester Way and through the estate to Manchester Road. The group then split with some group members returning via Manchester Road and the others continued across to the Middlewood Way and eventually back to the starting point via Summerlea Close.

The run was just under 4 miles and everybody put a lot of effort in today especially on 'the hills' - I am so impressed with how hard everyone works!

Have a good week,

Neil

Sarah, Nina & Mel setting the pace

Muddy Bollin!

Cutting through the estate

Onwards towards the Middlewood Way

The end!

Saturday 6th October

Before the run

Today saw another record turnout with about 19 people (including two new runners - Mel & Cheryl). Today we organised to run in a way that everyone could run to their potential - we ran north along the Middlewood Way for 1/2 Mile and then returned to Grimshaw Lane. We then ran south along the Middlewood Way as far as AstraZeneca and then returned north to Clarke Lane - we then took the road to Oak Lane, past the war memorial and split into two groups for the return leg of the run.

By the looks of a few red faces and heavy breathing everyone seemed to have done a decent workout.

Click for map of meeting place: CLOUGH BANK CP

10 of us had a Coffee afterwards in the Waterside Cafe, Clarence Mill.

Neil
ps Remember to put 15th December 2012 in your diary for the 'Harriers Relay Event'. 

Lee at full speed