THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS.......2

  Week 1 of 2013 was brought to a close with  an undulating 13 miler on the quiet roads between Thornton and Gargrave   in preparation for my first event a  week on Sunday.  So no apologies then for beginning week two with two days of easy recovery running on the grass.  After hitting tarmac for the best part of two hours on the Sunday the spongy green stuff was very welcome!
  We journeyed up to the Lake District then for a Tuesday afternoon meeting at INOV 8's new showroom; a chance to see what the company will have to offer for next Autumn /Winter. Available from July; for us to order  a.s.a.p.  Look out for some great new colours on existing product and some new tasty clothing items!
  Interestingly the catalogue featured local "startlet" RACHEAL BAMFORD (Otley A.C.) taking time off her training and racing with a spot of "modelling".

 We stayed up in the Lakes overnight and so Wednesday morning saw me tackling my regular 6 miler up the TROUTBECK VALLEY and back.  The National Trust has done some great work improving the first mile of the run in which the trail was often more a stream; better,  but for the best part it's still a run for Goretex lined footwear as  throughout the year water runs down the steep sided valley and lodges on the path.  The scenery does much to compensate.   It's not a run if you're looking for  a bit of pace.More of a watery slog!

A much drier trail run on Thursday. My weekly visit to the reservoirs. Made even more enjoyable as we benefit from all the great work done by Yorkshire water as reported recently.  Much the same distance as the lakes run but much faster pace.............and much safer!

A faster pace but still way off the pace I'll need to be operating at a week on Sunday. So Friday was calling out an injection of pace.  Opted for a 2-3-2  (2 miles easy 3 miles tempo 3 miles easy) over the border from SALTERFORTH .   7 miles on the canal towpath
free from both 4 wheel and 2 wheel traffic.  A good venue for this tempo session.  10K race pace plus approx. 10%......for about 7.40 per mile
 Splits were 7.41 8.02 and 7.39; so falling short on the middle one.
 Look at that next time I do it.
 

Following another hour of undulating trail on the STRID  on Saturday, Sunday saw me back  back on the flat LEEDS LIVERPOOL canal  towpath for the week's longest run of 10 miles , out and back from 5 RISE LOCKS..
  Run  comfortably in  89 minutes; "keeping  my powder dry"  for Sunday's half marathon!
  So that was the week that was......n mber 2.
  2 easy days,  several days on picturesque undulating trail, a tempo session, topped off with a comfortable  but solid 10 miler.  44 mile in total.
  Two weeks into the year and we  were still free from snow here in Wharfedale; but it wouldn't spare us for long.  Week 3 would prove somewhat more difficult for Yorkshire's runners!