Saturday 25th January - Bollin or Orienteering

The start

Wow - what a busy morning ... and we were so lucky with the weather!

At 9.00am a hardy group of 15 runners did a 5k route around Manchester Rd, Dorchester Way, Marlborough Drive & the Middlewood Way (mud too bad for a Prestbury Bollin Valley route). The group choice was to do it 'clockwise' - the jury is out about whether it is easier that way!

At 10.00am another group took part in the MDOC Orienteering event in the Bollin Valley. The group paid the entry fee, got their dibbers, and ran around the Bollin looking for logs to trip over and mud to fall into. A lot of laughter ... well done to the group as they did the 'Orange' course which was more technical in terms of terrain and map reading. Results are available on the MDOC website. A map reading session has been requested (not sure if that was a serious request).

A few pictures below.


Neil

Manchester Rd - a hill at the start!

Whose idea was this....

At last ... a bit of flat and down ...

Jo & Sarah

Does Kate always smile...

... another hill

Are we there yet

The end ...

Orienteering - team effort

Mud Queens

... and proud of it

The 'Light Green' course that Neil did (33m)

Saturday 18th January - Middlewood speed and hill session

The start

At 8.00am the weather looked bad but by 9.00am it had cleared up and 15 hardy runners left the warmth of a comfortable bed as the lure of 'speed work and hill work' was just too tempting. Those that did not come along will not appreciate what they missed.... well, here is a summary ...

- a warm up
- a gentle run along the Middlewood Way
- a speed pyramid
- a paced 1km run
- a bit more steady running
- a few hill reps
- a gentle run back
- some stretching
- and for some a tea/cake!

There was a good deal of good running today especially in the 'paced kilometre' - we had people doing 7, 8 9 & 10 minute miles - RESPECT!

Well done - to you all and maybe you can slip a few '30 second speed bursts' into your normal weekly runs.

Keep running!

Neil

recovery jog after 30 second speed burst

Recovery after 45 speed burst

Recovery on the Middlewood

Philip and Gemma at the end of 1km at 7 min/mile!

Speedy Mel ...

A quick rest after the paced 1km

Oak Lane - Louise ready for a 'Makeover'

Shiny Shoes Jordan following Margaret

Oak Lane loop-backs

Gemma and Savitri

Oak Lane

Recovery after hill reps

... on the way back

The end - good effort!

Saturday 11th January - Blakelow Circuit

E Group

Happy New year!

Oh dear. Today we had rain....and mud...and more rain.  We got a bit damp ... and dirty.

Despite the worst Saturday weather for ages we had a great turnout of 20 hardy runners (including one new group member) who battled through muddy paths, wet tow-paths, hill-reps on Blakelow and then more mud - well done and hopefully the rest of 2014 will not be as wet!

Good luck with all your running challenges in 2014 - let us hope it is a good one for us all.

See you next week .. for speed and hill work!

Neil and Ali
ps Sorry about poor photographs today - the camera did not like the rain very much

Off we go ... in the rain!

I think the rain is easing off...

'Heather 'the hat' Cooper tries to hide ... and fails

Nina 'minces' through the puddles  ;-)

Some good mud technique!

Jordan is airborne..

Mud, mud, glorious mud!

There is good mud and bad mud. This was bad mud.

Heather in 'ballet' mode...

kate is happy

Jo fully colour co-ordinated!

Happy Margaret

How many thought they could run UP Blakelow Road!

What is Mildred looking at?

Sunday January 5th - Hit the Trail 5

Today the Belle Vue Racers (www.bellevueracers.co.uk) celebrate their 25th anniversary with a 5 mile event called the 'Hit the Trail'.

Yes - there will be MUD
Yes - it will be challenging
Yes - YOU can do it

... but it is friendly and great fun and gets a good review in Runners World.

Maybe a good way to start the New Year ....

Neil

Saturday 4th January - Lyme Park Orienteering - John of Goats

The start ... compass at the ready

The forecast was bad - wet and windy - but 11 hardy souls decided to give the orienteering a try. A car share to Lyme Park followed by registration ... which course (novice, short, medium) which age category (W40, M55, W50 ...), get a dibber (what's a dibber?), get a map (what do all those symbols mean) and finally at 11.00am we were off.

The mud was good and thick, the water deep and wet, the terrain rugged and the controls were tricky to find ... but WE TRIUMPHED, we did it and we had a good laugh!

It was very cold at the end and some of our clothes/shoes will take some serious cleaning.

Results will be available on www.mdoc.org.uk in the next couple of days.

Well done -  a few pictures below

Neil and Ali

First group back ...

Dawn ... mud from fall number 2

Ooops ... Neil said 'the good, the bad and ...'

Team 2 back - look at that mud

Wendy S - warm, cosy and happy!

Spirits rise at the end!

Heather's odd shoes

We all made it

The end

Muddy feet ...

One approach to navigation on the 'Short' Course

Orienteering could be that challenge ...