The Edale Skyline race was held the weekend before last, and I took part. A number of factors meant that I had done approximately zero training beforehand, and so it was with some trepidation that I approached the start line with Greg under a clear blue sky.

The start of the route at the start of the day. © Haydn Williams 2012

I hadn't found time to recce the first half of the route, but felt OK as far as Lose Hill. From there – on the part of the route I did know – I fell completely to pieces. Greg passed me on the summit of Mam Tor and ripped off down towards Mam Nick at a hefty pace. I got progressively slower, and ended up walking from Brown Knoll all the way to the end. Despite downing several energy gels and an entire pack of jelly snakes, I just couldn't get my legs working.

Approaching the finish, I knew it was a poor result. I generally like to get in the top third or quarter of a race: for the Skyline I came 258th out of 299. Ouch. It was entirely my fault, because I really should have done some training, and a nice wake-up call that proves I can't just assume that everything will be OK come race day. Nonetheless, at least I now know the route! Greg had a great run and narrowly missed his four-hour target (by four seconds!), and we both enjoyed the unseasonably lovely weather. Next year I'll be back on track.

So the LAMM training keeps on coming – this afternoon I was in the Hope valley, doing a mini Edale Skyline.

I parked at Nether Booth and hit the steep incline up to Hollins Cross, before following the obvious route over Mam Tor and round as far as Brown Knoll, then back across to the top of Grindsbrook Clough. From there I took my own advice from last year and carried on to descend Ringing Roger rather than the steep rock-fest of Grindsbrook.

The Edale Valley looking very spring-like. Copyright Haydn Williams 2011.

I'd put sun cream on when I left the car, but grey cloud had started blowing in along Rushup Edge, the wind picked up at Brown Knoll, and as I came down from Ringing Roger I could see things taking a turn for the worse. Fortunately from Ollerbrook Booth it was just a few hundred yards back to the car. Total distance was 20.2km with ~700m of ascent, done in two and a half hours (thank God for Ascent for the iPhone!). Sat in the car sorting out gear I was accosted by the local farmyard fauna, which practically got into the foot well at one point.

Dinner presents itself. Copyright Haydn Williams 2011.

I seem to have accidentally ended up training quite hard for LAMM this year – by my standards at least – and it looks like it's paying off. Although I was beginning to tire by 14km in, there were no big rest stops and it certainly felt a lot easier than last year (when I had to walk a sizeable portion of the last two or three kilometres and had many more breaks from Brown Knoll onwards). Although much shorter than a LAMM day, I'm still taking days like this as an indicator that my performance is continuing to improve. Last year's LAMM was a walk rather than a run, due to my partner sustaining an injury, but I have a sneaking suspicion I would have been destroyed if we had run it. This year holds no such fears, and I'm already getting excited. Five weeks to go!

Paul, G and I took a wander up Crowden Clough in the Peak District on Sunday, in the hope of finding some ice to climb. Alas, all we found was snow. Lots and lots of snow, with Crowden basically banked out and walkable all the way up. Nevertheless, we still managed a bit of  a play about, even if it didn't involve spiky tools, and had a lot of fun messing about with the mini-cornices which had formed over massive soft drifts. Well, that's enough waffle; I know you only come here to look at the pictures anyway.

Paul checking out the mixed action in Crowden. Copyright Haydn Williams 2010

G bravely forcing a way up most extreme line of snow steps. Copyright Haydn Williams 2010

Squirming around at the top of Crowden. Copyright Haydn Williams 2010

Playing "Guess what's solid and what's covering a 5ft hole" in Crowden Clough. Copyright Haydn Williams 2010

Fun with cornices. Copyright Haydn Williams 2010

More cornice-bashing. Copyright Haydn Williams 2010

When good cornices go bad. Paul takes a ride as the whole lot collapses. Copyright Haydn Williams 2010

Avalanche debris? In the Peak? The aftermath of Paul's ride. Copyright Haydn Williams 2010

Ploughing our way out down Grindsbrook Clough. Copyright Haydn Williams 2010