2004 Diary

This is my running diary for 2004. Personal bests are noted with a dark red background.

There are links to any race results in the notes column.



DateDistCourseTimeNotes
3 Jan5 run around the roads near home. 38mins 48 secsQuite cold and a bit damp. Used new trainers for first time.
4 Jan6 round tracks above Norber upto Sulber Nick. 54mins 08 secsQuite cold with a fair bit of snow at higher levels. Was running with the dog.
11 Jan6Garstang 10K. 43mins 29 secs126th Ran even 7 minute miles. Basically the same time as last year.
12 Jan7 run around the roads near home. 56mins 14 secsPretty windy but managed to run all but the steepest bit.
14 Jan5 run around the roads near home. 39mins 23 secsVery windy but ran all the way.
17 Jan12 walk round half of the Kentmere horseshoe.6hrs 45 minsA lot of deep snow at higher levels. This was a walk, rather than a run but the length of time on the go makes it worthy of inclusion in the training log.
18 Jan10.5 over Barden Moor2hrCool, windy and began to rain at the end. Bit of snow underfoot at higher levels.
20 Jan7 run around the roads near home. 56mins 35 secsRan everything, if slowly!
22 Jan7 run around the roads near home. 54mins 41 secsRan everything, but was a very dark night.
25 Jan18 over Barden Moor3hr 26 minsCool, windy with a snow shower or two. Quite muddy now that everything has melted.
8 Feb7 run around the roads near home. 56mins 12 secsFirst run after a week's skiing.
14 Feb20 Wadsworth Trog 4hrs (and a few seconds!)Misty. Very muddy, not frozen like last year. So I was surprised to do it quicker. Also surprised to get the same placing (68th)!
18 Feb7 run around the roads near home. 59mins 30 secsWent the opposite way to normal to get the long gentle climbs.
21 Feb21 from Horton in Ribblesdale to Gargrave on the Pennine Way. 3hrs 50 minutesA very cold north wind. Had intended to continue to home but got very cold.
26 Feb5 run around the roads near home. 43mins 13 secsVery cold, only really jogged around.
29 Feb9 run around the hills near home. 1hr 24mins A bit slow after a curry and lots of beer the night before. Had Duncan for company.
4 Mar5 run around the roads near home. 42mins 30 secsA damp humid evening.
6 Mar13 run in the Howgills. 3hrs 18minsA cold day with snow showers and a North wind, but with quite a few big hills to try and keep warm.
11 Mar5 run around the roads near home. 40mins 15 secsVery cold.
18 Mar5 run around the roads near home. 41mins 19 secsWindy, just took it steady.
21 Mar13.2Wilmslow half marathon. 1hr 39mins 58 secsA bit windy but the rain held off. Felt rough. Came 746th out of 3241.
25 Mar5 run around the roads near home. 40mins 24 secsAnother steady run, very warm/humid.
28 Mar8.55 run around Helvellyn and Fairfield. 2hrs 25minsA bit snowy on top but otherwise quite mild. 4700 ft of climbing.
31 Mar9 run around the hills near home. 1hr 22mins First chance for an evening run since the clocks moved forward.
4 Apr17.5 practice run over the Dunmail to Wasdale section. 5hr 20mins Nice and sunny at first. Began to rain then hail and snow around Rosset Pike. Full scale blizzard on Bowfell, decided not to continue to Scafell Pike so bailed out down to Borrowdale.
10 Apr15 practice run over the Wasdale to Honister section. 4hr 36mins Did most of the section (out to Brandreth in 3hr 40mins) then back over Green Gable and down Aaron Slack and the Styhead path to Wasdale.
11 Apr16 run around the head of Eskdale. 5hr 22mins Started at Wha House, up Bowfell via three tarns then Esk Pike; Great End; and the rest of the Scafell group. Down to Wasdale, then back via the Corpse road to Eskdale.
14 Apr7 run around the hills at home. 1hrStill stiff from the weekend.
17 Apr11Anniversary Waltz.2hrs 19mins 50secsA bit faster than I though I was going to do it. Was 93rd.
22 Apr6Hill reps1hrEach rep was approximately 1 mile easy gradient.
24 Apr13First section of the BGR. 3hrs 30minsStarted from Threlkeld so as to have the car at the finish.
29 Apr7 on the roads round home54mins 34secsRan anticlockwise to get the long steady climbs in.
1 May9.5 from Torver over Walna Scar and back via Stephenson Ground 1hrs 40minsVery hot.
2 May15 walking over the Coniston hills from Turner Hall 5hrs 30minsDistance and vertical ascent very similar to the 3rd stage(clockwise) of the BGR.
9 May8A run around the tracks in Beddgelert forest. 2hrsPacing Cath who was on her mountain bike.
10 May5 run around the roads near home. 38mins 39 secsFelt quite quick.
12 May5 run around the roads near home. 39mins 55 secsAnother steady run.
16 May30 along the Pennine Way. 5hrs 39mins The last bit was hard as it was through long grass. This pace is about twice what I need to do for the BGR.
4/5 Jun40Attempt on the BGR. 15hrsGot to Wasdale in poor visibility before quitting.
10 Jun5 run around the roads near home. 41mins 32 secsFelt OK for first run after BGR attempt.
14 Jun9 run around the hills near home. 1hr 17minsChange of my downhill running style.
15 Jun7An hour or so running with the Ilkley crowd. 1hrNew running style feels easier.
17 Jun9 run around the hills near home. 1hr 14mins The new running style makes going uphill much easier.
21 Jun5 run around the roads near home. 39mins 34secsChest hurts from falling off my bike at the weekend.
24 Jun5 run around the roads near home. 38mins 39secsStarting to feel a little better.
4 Jul24Another attempt at the BGR  Bad weather again
17 Aug5 run around the roads near home. 38mins 41secsJust steady.
19 Aug10.5 run on Barden Moor. 1hr 55mins Slow because of my chest. Fell and twinged my hamstring.
26 Aug7 run around the road near home. 53mins 57 Still stiff with my hamstring.
27 Aug5 run around the roads near home. 40mins 07secsTime to get serious about training.
29 Aug11.2 run around the roads near home. 1hr 37mins 18secsA new hilly course - there is 600m of ascent and descent.
1 Sep7Hill Intervals57mins90sec running - 90 sec walking recovery
3 Sep5 run around the roads near home. 38mins 35secsTurned out faster than I though I would be.
7 Sep3 run around the roads near home. 24minsBit of a sore leg so took it gentle.
9 Sep5Hill Intervals35mins90sec running - 90 sec walking recovery, didn't continue for a longer run.
12 Sep26.2Yorkshireman off-road marathon4hrs 37mins 19secsKnocked 30mins off last years time. Still felt awful on the last part though. Generally very windy.
2 Oct5 run around the roads near home. 39mins 51secsVery windy and some rain.
7 Oct5 run around the roads near home. 38mins 59secsFirst nighttime run of the autumn.
10 Oct9The Bronte Way 1 hr 12mins 57 secsSlightly slower than last year due to a strong headwind but finished in the same position - 63rd!
12 Oct7Hill reps 1 hr approxPyramid hill reps. 1000m, 500m, 250m and back up.
13 Oct3 run round home24mins 40 secsDamp and cool.
16 Oct6.5 FRA relays1hr 4mins 05 secsRan the anchor leg (Photos). Had a swollen knee before the start - no pain though.
19 Oct7 run round Ilkley1hr approxLong steady run - no breathers.
22 Oct4Intervals30minsDid some short hard efforts to try and get the speed up. Used new HRM.
23 Oct10 run on the hills round home1hr 24mins 40 secsDamp and cool.
24 Oct7Withens Skyline 60mins 23 secs123rd Just missed the hour! Was just over a minute quicker than the last time I ran it. The course was very boggy!
26 Oct7.5 run round Ilkley70minsA warm-up; twelve hill reps (at a hard pace) then a cool down.
27 Oct3 run round home23minsDidn't feel too bad. Unfortunately my Ilio-tibial band flared up later resulting in no running for a while.
16 Nov2Slow Jog on the flat roads around home30minsDidn't feel too bad. First run (well gentle jog) since straining my ITB.
18 Nov3Run along the canal bank.30minsA bit wet and starting to get cold. Midday run from work.
23 Nov3Slow Jog on the flat roads around home35minsFelt OK - didn't feel any real twinges in my knees.
25 Nov3.5Slow Jog on the flat roads around home40minsSlowly building up the time - some muscle soreness but no knee problems so far.
1 Dec4Slow Jog on the flat roads around home45minsA cool evening - managed just under 6 miles.
4 Dec5 run on the roads around home35minsLegs felt quite sore - so cut back on the time.
8 Dec5 run on the roads around home46mins 11First time on the hills in this rehab session.
10 Dec3 roads around home26minsKnee was a bit sore so didn't do the five miler.
15 Dec5 run on the roads around home40mins 21Cool evening, just went steady.
15 Dec5 run on the roads around home40mins 25Cool again.
17 Dec5 run on the roads around home40mins 40Cold with a biting wind.
23 Dec5 run on the roads around home40mins 34Very, very windy with driving rain.
26 Dec5 run on the roads around home39mins 02Cool with some ice around.
27 Dec10.5 run on Barden Moor. 1hr 57mins Icy underfoot and increasingly windy.
29 Dec3 on the roads around home. 24mins 44Was going to do a longer run but my ITB was twinging.
31 Dec6Auld Lang Syne54mins 50Very boggy underfoot. A different course to normal due to footpath work. Came 196th out of 450.

Summary