It’s mainly been whizzing by …
The highlight of the half term week was the opportunity for doing something different – to working that is… The “last of the summer wine” group joined some “workers” to participate on an Enid Blyton Famous Five type of adventure. Meeting the squadron leader at Hilton, the group packed their rucksacks with running shoes and picnic snacks and then climbed, somewhat stiffly, aboard the winter cycles seeking training with a difference. Cycle, run, cycle.
The leader orchestrated the 2+2+1 formation and the group moved north, mainly uphill, to Shirley in deepest Derbyshire. Before you could say “oh no – not again – Uncle Quentin has been kidnapped” the five arrived at The Saracens Head. Bikes locked to fences, rucksacks hidden, trail running shoes replacing cycle shoes, the five set forth at a conditioning pace towards Osmaston via bridle paths and the occasional heart rate challenging hill. Turning at Osmaston, the run route joined the tracks alongside ponds and brooks. Mud was evident. The leader was on a mission. There wasn’t even time to stop for the expected hard boiled eggs and bread and butter pieces as the MVH Triathlete squadron passed the gently amused walkers on the route back to the Saracens Head. 4.5 miles of cross country running later the runners transformed into cyclists and set back towards base camp Hilton. The adventure almost complete was interrupted by the squadron leader enduring group humour while replacing an unwelcome puncture. Still all ended well on arrival at Hilton. Lashings of lemonade, one chocolate biscuit each and a coffee. Happy times. A training session definitely to be repeated.
Sunday this week provided two options. 1st option – the Dovedale Dash at 1100hrs saw MVH triathletes and a dog participating in a hugely popular 5 mile tromp (or X-country run) – mud, a river crossing and even deeper mud. The MVH dog arrived back as 2nd dog overall and cheered by the populace as a hero – even though the dog had to be carried across anything defined in a dogs mind as wet or yugh which on this run was most of it!
2nd option, 7 from MVH set off cycling on a cold, yes definitely cold morning towards Etwall on an even paced cycle that included progressive hill climbs and long flat sections. 34 miles covered in 10 minutes over the 2 hours. 5 minutes from the carpark later – carrot cake, coffee and good banter concluded this version of the MVH training week.
And there you have it another week goes by…
