11/02/2012 Training Walk #5 - First Full Red Harrows Training Walk

Cold enough for ya?



Todays training walk was the first opportunity for the full Red Harrows Team to walk together. We were also joined again by honorary team member Simon and Julians two energetic dogs.

Lee (Red Leader) had arranged for everyone to meet at Mark's for 9am. Unfortunately Red Leader didn't set his alarm properly so arrived late, looking like he'd just got out of bed (which he had) and having missed his porridge. Hastily scoffing down a flapjack, we set off for the top of Mow Cop ribbing him all the way.

Mow Cop Castle is a folly of a ruined castle built in 1754. Mow Cop is famed for the 'Killer MIle', a one mile race from the bottom to the folly which gets run each year. It was for this latter reason that we thought this would be a good training exercise for the team.

The Folly at the top of Mow Cop

We set a reasonable pace as we left, first joining the Macclesfield Canal which was frozen over before hitting the base of the hill and starting out ascent.

We managed to get to the top in 47minutes a distance of 3.6km and an ascent of about 200m. Once at the top we realised just how cold it was as we struggled on packed hard ice which had melted and refrozen turning it into a skating rink so the opportunity was taken for a quick flpajack and team photo.

We found this quite slowgoing as we tried to avoid the inevitable slipping and sliding though the walking poles with spikes proved invaluable in our effort to stay upright.

We continued along the Congleton Edge and once off the roads we were onto frozen fields again with views across Cheshire and Staffordshire.

The view into Staffordshire from Congleton Edge

We had hoped to set a decent pace along this gradual descent but found ourselves negotiating more icy patches on the trail.

As we broke out of woodland we were presented with a great framed view of The Cloud so took the opportunity for another flapjack and Lee downed an energy gel pack. Fearing this would give him bionic abilities we marched on towards Congleton. Lee proposed a small diversion to the route and we hopped onto the Biddulph Way, a former railway line now widely used by walkers and cyclists.

The Cloud in the distance

The ice continued to abound and we made steady progress towards the Macclesfield Canal.

The canal itself was heavily frozen but so was the tow path. Having gained some confidence by this stage walking on ice, we set off at a pace only occasionally having a comedy fall moment as walking poles went flailing but thankfully managing to mostly retain our balance if not our composure.

The (frozen) Macclesfield Canal

As we got beyond Congleton, the ice appeared to diminish so we picked up the pace on the home straight, completing this training walk in 4hrs 10minutes with a distance of 18.4km and elevation gain/loss of 250m.Todays walks stats can be found here. 

Team total distance walked so far in training is 164.7km.

A very enjoyable training walk at a decent pace managed by all the team members.