Torchlight Run - The Cloud 30/01/2012

We’re Running Up That Hill !!!!!

Well, it was Monday night it was 6-30 and it was time for mad runners united…Like all in the club I got my email inviting me to the Monday night Torchlight run. These series of runs have proved real popular with some of the club stalwarts and it’s not hard to see why.

I myself have done about 4 or 5 now and I have to say they add a whole new dimension to running. If you’ve lost your mojo or are finding it tricky to stay motivated now the New Year’s resolution is long behind us, reply to the email and get on the run. The runs are not fast, they are well organised and really good fun. 

So back to this one. It was 6-15 when I turned up at the club which was the nominated meeting point.  I pulled alongside two other runners, in this case, Claire & Catherine. Both were sat in one car and gave me a wave. I opted to stay in my car and wave back. The reason for this was that outside of my car the temperature was already -1 with a nasty wind.

When eventually Mik and Perry turned up we dived in to Perry’s car and headed off to meet Chris Brumby at our starting point for the torchlight run. It was at this point I remembered the bit on the email that I had sort of “glossed over”. That was the place we were running too. Yes, we were running up the Cloud in Congleton. That would mean 5 miles of slugging through mud, over rocks, up narrow paths but worst of all, always going uphill! Oh and of course in -1 temperature and in the dark….. Madness pure Madness.

When we met Chris and his dog Andre we donned head torches and got ready to follow Chris.  Not before we had discussed head torches and the cost of such. Then Perry brought out his new head torch…… They were talking lumas or something and I think that’s how bright it is, I think though Perry had actually been to Manchester airport and stolen one of the runway landing lights as his was so bright.

Ok, so off we set, following Chris and Andre, huffing and puffing and listening to Mik’s excuses of how his legs were tired and he was tired. I mean, anyone would of thought he had ran the Marrakech Marathon only 24 hours before, the way he was moaning. We carried on and on and on oh and on, we went through mud, over styles, uphill up steps, over rocks and over more rocks, we ran through heather and then as if by magic….. We were there. We had made it to the top of the Cloud on one of most beautiful nights of the year. The sky was so clear you could see the lights in the distance for miles and miles. It was cold and I mean cold, probably about -3 or so but you forget all of that. Its moments like these that you realise why you run and what you can gain from it. 4 or 5 years ago I couldn’t have walked up the Cloud and yet here I was, running up it in the dark and cold for fun.

After the obligatory photo we headed on down the hill which only equated for about a mile and a half downhill run. We dived in to Perry’s car and freezing and muddy hit the nearest pub.  On arriving at the pub, the landlady seemed to think that we were the politest running club in Britain. We all took our trainers off before entering and checked it was ok to go in. Once in we sat and listened to each other’s travelling stories whilst Catherine and Clare shocked me by drinking full pints of bitter and I realised how much a round of drinks costs these days.  After which we all jumped back in to Perry’s car and headed for home.

A real fabulous night that was really enjoyable, mad, yes very mad but very enjoyable.

Till next time.

 Paul