Training : Bywell

Sunny Running by the Tyne

I've said before that running on the flat is harder than uphill and way more than downhill (my favorite) but this morning's training down by the Tyne at Bywell was glorious. The sun shining, the birds singing, dogs barking... You get the picture. When the weather is like this, cold mind you, the running seems all that easier even though the effort isn't. We were trying to get the speed up and doing 2.5 mile stretches at 10k race pace inter-spersed with steady sub 9 min miles and the odd sprint. It still seems we're catching up after the extended Christmas break. Yes I know it's nearly March already but the break, the weather and just lately the job just hasn't let me find the consistency I need.

Tynedale : Jelly Tea Race

Better in the eating than in anticipation

I'd been panicking all week and more besides, the thought of 10 miles, longer than anything I've run was getting to me.

I'm up early pacing the hallway. Take the train to Hexham, leaving my car at the finish in Prudhoe / Ovingham. Early again pacing the platform. Arrival at the start over an hour to go. Meet up with a couple of the girls from Tyndale Tuesday group, now we're all panicking a bit but the mutual support is encouraging.

The amble to the start turns into a jog and one or two folk think we've already started, not yet! Then we're off!

The route is actually beautiful following the National Cycle route 72 for most of the way. Leaving Hexham on the Beaufront road to Corbridge, through the town it's self a steep section taking you up out of town to the turn down right to Bywell. The road is then goes back down the hill bypassing Bywell and follows the river towards Ovingham. A short steep section at mile 9+ proves as hard as the pre-race horror stories made it out to be.

The end is almost in sight and we realise that with a short burst of speed we could make it in under the hour and a half! In the end 1:27 more than 10 minutes in under my target time. Knackered but well happy with that.