TWO PHEASANTS & 2 RABBITS...that's all folks!

The BARDEN RESERVOIRS RUN.

Last night's icing seemed to have worked ; the legs didn't feel too bad at all so decided to make today's 6 miler a fairly tough one. Having driven past Bolton Abbey on the B6160 I turned left at Barden Tower taking the road signposted Eastby and Embsey. An immediate left to park and a short walk across the road. Through the gate and the run starts. The first mile is only a gradual climb (10.16) a nice intro for what's to come. From that point it's uphill all the way for another mile and a half.  Dry underfoot, loose chippings; not as steep as the Murder Mile on Ilkley moor and better underfoot but quite testing.

I'm conscious of yesterday's track session but I'm up on my toes, the arms are driving well and all seems OK. At 2.5 I reach the Upper Barden reservoir ......the large waterworks house is quite a strange landmark....time for the legs to recover on the flat, grassy path adjacent to the water. I turn at 3

(30.36).  Immediately I hit the descending trail at 3.5 I can feel the impact on the quads but not really of concern.  Good leg speed now as the pace quickens.  Fourth mile 8.29.  Excellent views now

back towards Ilkley and beyond.  The path twists

around again bringing in the autumnal colours of the landscape above the river Wharfe.....Simon's Seat,

Skyreholme and Appletreewick. The reward for having made the climb.  I don't concentrate on the view for too long though; I don't want to fall at this stage of the run. Back to the gate in 56.31. 8.38 and 8.39

for the last two miles.  Pleased with the session.  A good lung teasing climb and a safe descent at good pace.
3 minutes faster than last time I ran it in September. Nevertheless,  with usual weekend to come, tomorrow call's for an easy day. 
Just had the Athletics Weekly delivered with a report on the New York marathon inside.  Confirm's PAULA R. ran 2:29:27.  in 4th place.In her post race interview she refers to a problem with a tendon behind the knee 13 days prior to the race and elsewhere in the mag it says she missed London due to an operation to remove a bunion!

She has already had surgery to remove a Morton's Neuroma (the surgery I had back in 2002).  Both problems I would suggest due to mile after mile

(reportedly up to 145 miles per week!) up on her forefoot in her trademark style.  Perhaps it's time to ease the burden on her fragile feet,  switch to shorter distances, reduce the mileage and do more races. She had only raced once this year prior to New York.  Hardly the build up most coaches would recommend. With a 69 mins. New York half marathon her 2:29 was entirely predictable.  I ran 2:29: 46 and 69.46 for the half in 1982. At the moment I don't think she's really "in our sport". Who knows we might even see her back in a club vest taking part in a club event like top marathoners of the past used to do.  But cynics would say that club events don't bring in the money.  They might think that but I couldn't possibly comment! Suffice it to say that in 1982 I also ran the Yorks, Northern , National XC, four 10 milers, 2 20s and 4 other marathons! Stockport before London, Bolton, Sandbach and Leeds after. I did reach 90 miles on occasions but never 100 in a week.

   Two pheasants and two rabbits?  Well that's all I saw on today's run.....or was it one rabbit twice? So if you want a testing run, away from it all perhaps the Barden reservoirs run is the one for you!