Post Script

A few months later now, it's time to take stock. 60 races completed in a year and more than half of them with a podium finish out of, on average, 15 MV60's in a race. 5 wins, 15 very frustrating seconds and 12 thirds. My average position in the field was better at 60 than at 50 but that may be more a reflection of my race choices than a real improvement in my times, although I did beat my V50 time more than once as a V60. My best achievement was perhaps 3rd V60 at Coniston, in the clag against a decent field of competitors but the ones that will be remembered will be the win at Sca Fell Pike late in the season, despite being injured, Bilberry Fields during the winter, because I beat Tim, my daughter's boyfriend, fair and square and of course, a trophy for 3rd place in the BOFRA Championship.

I haven't had a decent run since my 61st birthday or, it may be more accurate to say, since the late summer of my 60@60, due to my ongoing hip problem. I'll sign off this blog for now with an image of my GP's hilarious referral letter to Wrightington Hospital - a centre of excellence for hip replacements.

Race 60 of 60 @ 60: Screes

Phew.

That was a great way to get the challenge completed, despite being some way further down the results page than I would have liked, due, I will always maintain, to my lack of training because of the pain in my left hip. Family came over to support, some ran - check the results, club mates too, and what a great little event it is. Low key, village hall and a good pub opposite. What's not to like! We topped things off with a couple of bottles of nice cava on the finish line.

Results: 17th/31  V60-69: 5th/11 Time: 1:05:11

Race 59 of 60 @ 60: Withins

Having recently concentrated on the BOFRA Championship and other short form races, this is the furthest I've run in ages. Uncertain as to whether my hip would hold out for the whole race I set off really steady and carried on steady over the boggy top of The Stoop. Trying not to overstride on the descent through the ruins of Top Withins lost me more time so in the end I was happy to be straggling in well off the pace but not in too much pain. Somewhat slower than 10 years ago when, reading my account of that race, I also had a poor run. Never mind all that. It's in the bag, with just one more to go. I really hope to get a bit better in time for The Screes in two weeks.

Coming out of the quarry at the start

Results: 107th/183 V60: 14th/22 Time: 1:04:10 

Distance: 10.1km Climb: 300m

Race 58 of 60 @ 60: Fan Fawr

A busy weekend down in Abergavenny is broken up perfectly on a blustery Saturday afternoon by this low key out and back up Fan Fawr. Steep, grassy, a bit wet - ideal for me but with my recent lack of training I was a bit off the pace of the best local V60's. Katie and Tim were competing for their new club for the first time and both getting in to the swing of things nicely, Tim a couple of minutes ahead of me, Katie a couple of minutes behind.

Setting off

I really need to get over that competitive streak

Results: 45th/84 V60: 3rd/8 Time: 25:49 

Distance: 3.2km Climb: 305m

Race 57 of 60 @ 60: Eskdale Show

This is a great little route - runnable in terms of climb per km but pretty technical in places. All the more of a shame then that I couldn't go full steam ahead as the stream crossing and fence climb at the beginning took their toll on the sore tendons around my left hip. A bit of a write off as a competitive event but one more in the bag. I'll come back to this one next year. 

Results: 37th/50 V60: 5th/7 Time: 55:10 

Distance: 6.9km climb: 277m

Race 56 of 60 @ 60: Scafell Pike Race

The course being shortened due to bad weather was a bit of a disappointment for my Spanish visitors but a bit of a relief for me. We were reduced to racing to the top of Lingmell Nose and back - much like a BOFRA event - but to be fair, that's still a fair old climb. I was 5th V60 at the top and not feeling that fit for tearing downhill at full speed but one by one, I worked my way through to take an unexpected category win. Nice.

Results: 50th/78 V60: 1st/7 Time: 38:16 Distance: 3.6km Climb: 470m

Race 55 of 60 @ 60: Bradley

This is getting hard now. On the face of it this is a nice little route, very runnable throughout and a course where I would hope to be flying on the not too technical descent. I was slow to the top, having lost fitness through not being able to train between races, but I was just about still in touch with the leading V60's. Instead of working my way through the field and trying to catch the category leaders I lost touch entirely and limped down, with a seemingly endless stream of runners passing me by and leaving me for dead. Not so much powfagged as shot to pieces.

Results: 61st/80  V60: 9th/11  Time: 37:13

Distance: 5.6km  Climb: 244m

Race 54 of 60 @ 60: Muker Show

I liked the look of this course from my quick glance at the map - river crossing, not a lot of runnable climb before the steep stuff and then a good fast running descent. I need to beat Chris at least one more time to hold on to my 2nd place in the BOFRA V60 Championship so I had a proper go. I pushed really hard on the steep climb and did manage to stay in touch, just about, as we approached the top but I didn't then recover quick enough to get going properly on the descent. Pure lack of fitness from my lack of training over the last few weeks. Hip was sore again afterwards too.It's a brilliant race though, and a great little show to visit into the bargain. Massive onions.

Results: 30th/82  V60: 3rd/19  Time: 17:57
Distance: 2.2km  Climb: 168m

Race 53 of 60 @ 60: Burnsall Fell Race

Friday: From the session, I believe that you have a tendinopathy to both the hip flexor tendon (front of hip) and Glute Medius tendon (outer hip). It could be that this has started with the slight increase in frequency/intensity of your running. It's important with running and rehab to remember to keep the pain below 5/10 and to keep an eye on the 24 hour pattern.

Sunday: Burnsall Fell Race.

Monday: Sore

Results: 47th/84  V60: 3rd/11  Time: 23:09
Distance: 2.4km  Climb: 244m

Race 52 of 60 @ 60: Rusland Sports 5 miler

This was the first time in this series that I stood on the start line questioning the wisdom of taking part. Within 20 seconds of the off I had the answer. The problem I have been having with my left hip hadn't cleared up so I started off slow, tried a bit harder in the middle and went past a few but then limped in to the finish losing nearly all the places I had gained. I need a week off training and a week off climbing any ladders so, Matarraña here I come.

Results: 36th/47  V60: 4th/8  Time: 51:06
Distance: 7.8km  Climb: 310m

Race 51 of 60 @ 60: Arncliffe Gala

Back to the BOFRA Championships and this was always going to be the day that I jumped up the table, being my 8th counter in the series. Lovely little village, great atmosphere around the gala and a really nice short course. The hip was sore again but with a warm up I got away well enough and although I got dropped by Joe as soon as we hit the climb I was able to run the downhill well enough to beat all the other V60's. Had a desperate sprint finish against another veteran but as it turned out I needn't have bothered. He was ony 56.

Results: 42nd/150  V60: 2nd/11
Distance: 3km  Climb: 140m

Race 50 of 60 @ 60: Whittle Pike

 A tough little race up on the moors above Cowpe which I really like as a route so I set off with intent to do as well as I could. Dave Naughton and a couple of other V60's passed me at the top of the first of the three climbs so I put in an effort to get back at them on the downhill but just as I overtook all but Dave I got my foot in a hole, twisted my ankle and crashed to the floor, landing on my right shoulder. That hurt and the rest of the race didn't go too well. Finished though, and nearly in the top half.

50 races in and time to take stock. I'm running at much the same level as I was 10 years ago, finishing slightly higher up the field than then and just as likely to get into the top half. All despite running more in Cumbria, where the competition is hotter, and completing the 50 in two months less. Shouldn't grumble but I still want to be winning every once in a while!

Results: 42nd/83  V60-69: 5th/13  Time: 1:07:23
Distance: 8.2km  Climb: 488m

Race 49 of 60 @ 60: Farleton Knott

This was a tough one for me. Having suffered from some soreness in front of my left hip for a while now, it has been increasingly difficult to get a good start. Not knowing the exact start time of the senior race at BOFRA events, an effective warm up isn't easy to achieve and as I launched into the race I felt a sharp pain. I limped a few metres to compose myself but by the the time I could break into a jog two of my V60 rivals were gone. The exit from the field is tight and there's virtually no possibility of overtaking on the steep climb thanks to the narrowness of the path between the gorse. I arrived at the top with a bunch of people to pass to even get close and I knew that the game was up. Paul and Chris both ran well so I bagged 3rd V60. Not a disaster but I need a rest - something I'll not be getting any time soon.

Passing a few as the course
opens up at the top

Results: 41st/96  V60: 3rd/11  Time: 28:00
Distance: 4.2km  Climb: 457m

Race 48 of 60 @ 60: Ambleside Sports Senior Guides Race

Probably the perfect Guides Race. Viewable from the field virtually all the way to the top, runnable by the best runners all the way save for the short scrambly bit at the summit and fast runnable all the way down into the show field. I had a slight knot of nervousness in my stomach before the start having realised that as well as Joe, runaway leader of the series in the V60 category, most of the contenders for best of the rest had also turned up. It was Nick who got to the top first of that competitive little group, with a number of younger runners separating him from me, Chris and Ray - two V60 contenders from Helm Hill. I threw myself down the short rocky section, passing four within metres of the turn then set about the long grassy descent with intent. I caught Nick part way down and held off Chris and Ray who were both chasing hard. I have come to the realisation that it is no help looking over your shoulder worrying about being caught but instead I focus on the runner in front and aim to reel them in - Kirstin Bailey, the leading FV50 on this occasion.

Chris Speight right on my tail at the top

Results: 39th/96  V60: 2nd/14  Time: 22:02

Distance; 2.7km  Climb: 240m

Race 47 of 60 @ 60: Cracoe

BOFRA race 5 for the season and Dave Woodhead's brilliant photos show the V60 battle unfolding. Joe Blackett, number 25, won by miles again, having opened up a big gap on the climb. Chris Speight, number 100, and I battled it out for second.

Not much between us as we get
through the bog on the way up

Closing Chris down on the descent

And making my move coming into the finish field.
Chris Moore, number 22, running for Leven
was 3rd V40, just behind us on the line.

Results: 33rd/94  V60: 2nd/11  Time: 30:56
Distance: 4.2kM  Climb: 274m

Race 46 of 60 @ 60: Alva Games

I used to think that Coniston Gullies was steep and that the downhill was difficult to run. Then I went to Alva - the maddest race of all by far. 1200' of climb packed in to three quarters of a mile, according to my Strava track, but at least 400m of that is round the sports field then along the road so it really is 1200' up in half a mile as the BOFRA listing says. I arrive at the top alongside three other V60's but my quads are burned out - six races in 19 days now - that's too much! The downhill is worse than the up. With no way to stay on your feet you descend with the grass burning your backside, dust in your eyes and gorse in the palms of both hands. I like a good descent but with the legs already destroyed by the climb I can't keep up with last year's winner, Ray Gill from Helm. Second V60 again. Brilliant in the end though, to be cheered into the finish by a couple of thousand spectators, even if that final lap round the track does really hurt.

Arriving at the top
in some distress!

The sports field from the top.
Photos from Lindsay Buck on Facebook
from Jim really - Lindsay ran the race

Result: 27th/65  V60: 2nd/6  Time: 33:38

Distance: 2.4km  Climb: 380m (Strava measurements)

Race 45 of 60 @ 60: Reston Scar Scamper

Another fantastic little race, local but new to me - I don't know how I've missed it before. The evening was warm and still but misty and trying to rain without ever managing to produce the cooling shower that I needed. The start is flat and roady and everybody seemed to fly off the stat line leaving me further back than I would normally hope to be. It must be a decent field of keen runners, missing the England semi-final against Switzerland but when we hit the first hill my position gets even worse. People pass me on every climb and I only get into my stride on the downhill. After five races in just over a two week period I'm tired.

Results: 69th/90  V60: 4th/7  Time: 34:31
Distance: 6km  Climb: 301m

Race 44 of 60 @ 60: Great Hucklow

A long drive down to Derbyshire for the first time in this series which wouldn't really be complete without at least one trip to The Peak District. This is a very varied course including trail, fields, some fabulous moorland and a little bit of tarmac. On the twisty, slippery wooded section through Bretton Clough, about 7km in, I aggravated my old back injury and lost both the will and the ability to race to the finish. Losing position whilst slowly and carefully shuffling to the finish line is kind of disheartening but I suppose in the end, about half way down the field isn't too bad a result.

Results: 63rd/125  V60: 4th/18  Time: 1:08:23
Distance: 10.1km  Climb: 335m

Race 43 of 60 @ 60: Stoodley Pike

This is a lovely race to do on a fine summer's evening but you do have to get out of the blocks quite quickly and there isn't really and easy section on the race to take a breather as it's fast all the way once the climb is done. Conditions were dry and clear, not too hot either so I was a bit disappointed to see my time slip from my 50@50. Mervyn Keys of Rossendale took another turn at showing how the good V60's do it, leaving the rest of us trailing in his wake somewhat but still well worth the trip over to the dark side of the county boundary to visit Mankinholes again.

Results: 49th/112  V60: 3rd/17  Time: 27:36

Distance: 5km  Climb: 213m

Race 42 of 60 @ 60: Kirkby Gala

Not really a typical BOFRA Championship race this, with a long run out across the fields and not much steep or technical terrain even when you reach the moor. It was a very typical V60 result though, with Joe Blackett first, as he has been in every race so far, Paul Revell second, as he has been in every race he has done so far and me finishing next, as I have been... you get the picture. Another great battle for me though, against Nick this time. I snatched the lead on the one short bit of steep downhill.

Results: 19th/61  V60: 3rd/11  Time: 30:37
Distance: 5.7km  Climb: 244m