Tag: Didsbury

Fell running on the Trans Pennine Trail

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I wanted more out of this week than ‘just’ running, and I made this happen.  Monday was my easy day, a bit of a cycle commute to and from work, but with a twist….I went to the pool and swam a kilometre before getting a relieving sports massage for 40 minutes that I’d managed to get for a steal on Groupon with KTJ.  I did my usual cycle and run commutes (well only 2 run commutes) and managed to get to Bioticfit on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.  Tuesday was supposed to be get started fit, which I thought would be perfect after my mileage on the weekend, but it certainly didn’t feel like getting started, got walloped as usual! And I went back for more on Wednesday night, this time trying out one of the newer venues at Crossford Bridge Park in Sale.  Lucky for Gillian Haworth that I turned up as it was just the two of us, so PT Kev put us through some serious paces, including bear crawls, scorpion walks, sprint drills and planks galore to name a few.  I was seriously shattered at the end of that!

My hubby and I had a great visit to Race kit, an ultra running gear shop in Matlock on Thursday, spending as mall fortune but all necessary for the Kalahari.  Andy was so informative and an absolute wealth of knowledge with great advice and recommendations.  we walked away with some great kit, Raidlight backpacks, X-Bionic tops (& shorts for hubby), head torches, sleeping bag liners, water bottles and sleeping mats.

The plan was then for us to run with our new running packs to Kidsgrove, stay the night & run back…..but the weather was shocking, chucking it down, and we backed out at the last minute.  Didn’t want to ruin our bags after all! Ended up with a bit of a naughty night at home, enjoying a few beverages too many.

This change of plan then meant I was in charge of a route on Saturday, so I had been wanting to test out the Trans Pennine Trail to Edale, so what better time than now.  Leaving Didsbury we headed off to Reddish Vale and joined the TPT from there, taking us up to Broadbottom and Charlesworth before cutting through the Peak District up on Kinder, down via Jacobs Ladder into Edale.  633m climb along the way amongst others, along with varied terrain of sand, rocks, slate rocks, mud, boulders and grass made for a tough yet rewarding run.  The views were spectacular and we had an awesome day out.  We made it to Edale 2mins before the next train to Manchester so that was perfect timing.  We made the mileage up to 34 by running the last 5 miles home, as it was only 29 to Edale.  That was tough to get running again after 40 mins on the train, but all good training in the bank of pain!  A tasty treat of fish & chips finished off a great day out.

18 miles in with Manchester city in the background

18 miles in with Manchester city in the background

Is it a bird, a plane.....no it's me taking off at Kinder.

Is it a bird, a plane…..no it’s me taking off at Kinder.

Dion heading down Jacob's Ladder, absolute murder on the knees

Dion heading down Jacob’s Ladder, absolute murder on the knees

Taking a load off in the Giants chair just before Edale.

Taking a load off in the Giants chair just before Edale.

A ‘recovery’ ride on Sunday of 55 miles out to Warrington finished off a massive week of training, resulting in Sunday evening sat with my feet up on the couch in my compression gear!

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Compressport sorting out my tired muscles

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Week of Wins!

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I never win anything…..until now!  I started off my week with a call from Rosso Restaurant in Manchester, I had one dinner for two with a bottle of wine after putting my business card in the draw over a Christmas Networking event held there.  How exciting!  I immediately got hubster and I booked in for the 15th Feb, the night before we go away on holidays for 3 weeks in India, just perfect!

Then a fellow twitterer, @chrishorricks31 , tweeted me to tell me that my Letter to the Editor had been published in the latest issue of Runners World, which means I have won a pair of Saucony running shoes!
runners world

Now I’m thinking I should buy a lottery ticket as these things always happen in 3’s.  Though I don’t want to give my 3rd away, I am secretly (or not so secretly) hoping that I will win with Ashmei http://www.ashmei.com to be selected as one of their ‘Face of Ashmei 2013’ places.  That would just top it all off.  Apparently I won’t find out if I have been successful until around mid February so fingers crossed until then.

I finally took 2 rest days after the excesses of Janathon, had Sunday and Monday (3rd & 4th off) after a massive bike ride on Saturday.  I went out with hubby and 2 other mates for a 75 mile (yes 75, not 7.5) ride from Didsbury, up Wizards Hill, up past the Cat n Fiddle outside Macclesfield (stopping at the Peak Tea Rooms for a bacon sandwich & coffee), through Buxton and up to Castleton (stopping again this time for a seriously tasty hot choc with the works and a massive piece of choc fudge cake to boot), taking a peak at Winnats pass (which we will be attempting in the Summer I’m promised) and back through Stockport to home.  Absolutely shattered after that.

Been testing out my Brooks Project shoes, a pair of Pure Grit trail shoes.  Getting to trial them out for free from Up and Running in Deansgate.  Even had a bout of snow on Tuesday to really put them to the test this week.

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Unfortunately I have got a months break from Bioticfit classes as we are off on holiday, so thought I would try out Crossfit (got a deal through livingsocial) and headed there last night, but couldn’t find it!!!!  Need to do a foundation course to learn before you can attend, so looks like that will have to wait until Tuesday next week.

Thursday morning meant the day of my long run, I was on a late shift at work, so perfect to knock out 18 miles. I thought I would combine my run with getting to work, so did 11 miles around Didsbury to Salford Quays and back, grabbed my backpack and ran the last 7 to work. Only had a glass of water at home at 11 miles, silly move not grabbing some energy, so the last 3 miles were pretty nasty, but 18miles completed so feeling pretty pleased with myself! Was absolutely starving when I got to work so Chef cooked me a BLT bap and a cup of tea and I am back on form! Bring on the 20miles as part of the training plan next week. Getting ready for Manchester Marathon in April, it is only supposed to be a 8 mile run next week, but then I am on holiday for 3 weeks in India and fitting the 20 miles in there might prove difficult so I thought I’ll get that out of the way and do the 8 miles (and then some) in India!

Long run & then some Day 29 Janathon

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Up and at ’em this morning, a hearty bowl of porridge to fuel the tank and it was time to get out for my long run of the week, 16 miles. How lovely it was to be out in some milder temps for a change! Wasn’t sure what route to take but thought it best to avoid the river as that would have been a slosh pieffort sure after all this snow and rain! Out & back from Didsbury through Northenden, Sale & Altrincham. 8.5 min/mile….not bad!

Home, quick shower, leftover tacos and muster up energy to ride 7miles to work, whew, hard work. Grabbed some dark choc covered coffee beans & a double shot Americano and it was all cylinders firing again!

The 7 mile return cycle in the headwind at 11pm didn’t really excite me, but done nonetheless!

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All terrain mixed workout Day 21 Janathon

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Still having some energy to burn this morning, I started the day with a free weights session at home. Half hours worth on the upper body and 15 mins of lower body followed by some planking and 3 sets of 10 push ups.

Cooked up a belly warming spicy lentil dish for lunch which tasted great at the time, but certainly not good pre-run fuel (note to oneself for future), doesn’t taste so good when it’s repeating on you when you’re bouncing along the paths! 😖

This afternoon headed out at 3pm with the hubster to knock out some miles. We headed out through Didsbury (had to drop the weekends lovefilm at the post office 😉), through Didsbury park and down along the River Mersey, back through Chorlton. It certainly was varied, running on pavement, then trail, mud, sand & snow. Hubby threw in a few hills as well, so it was a tough 13.1 miles, could feel the bum cheeks getting a bloody good workout!

A nice hot shower followed by a hot cup of tea and a foam roller session, now what’s for a woman’s dinner?

Not quite the run I had planned Day 19 Janathon

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So I should have been waking up at 5am, carbing up with some porridge and running 32 miles around Anglesey as part of the Coastal Trail Series, instead awoke in my own bed at 9am, and headed up to Axons butcher of Didsbury to get bacon, sausages, eggs & black pudding to drown our disappointment with a cooked breaky and bloody Mary’s.

I was feeling frustrated after carbing up for a few days, a lot of built up energy! So at 2pm decided to get out for a run in the sporadic snow showers. I ran out to Old Trafford and got a 10 miler under my belt. It was cold and slippy but not too bad, could feel that cooked breaky and Bloody Mary though, not such a good idea about halfway in!

Snowfit Day 15 Janathon

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Of all the days to pick…..I managed to convince 3 of my work colleagues to try out Bioticfit on the first day that Didsbury actually got some snow! Fair play to them they not only turned up, with 3 other crazy bioticfitters, but aced it! Was super proud that they got through the full hour of boot camp with snow falling, there were highs & lows for them, but the first step to fitness I’d always the hardest. They’ve now joined our fab fitness community and the only way is up now!
After an hour boot camp, I jumped back on the bike and rode about 9 miles to work, my hands and feet frozen solid by the time I got there. The ride home,7miles, was cold and had to take care on the icy roads.
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3000 calories smashed #BOOM! – Day 6 Janathon

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Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant day out! I know I was going to run every day, but I think a 55mile cycle takes care of that! Headed out with hubby and pal, Harry (our personal cycle guide😜) left Didsbury, out through Alderley Edge to the Cat & Fiddle. Lovely stop at the tea rooms for a delish coffee & chocolate cake before heading back home via Buxton. 55 miles with over a kilometre of climbing ascent, my thighs will thank me tomorrow!