Two trig run

Feeling a bit better after Saturday's implosion, and very conscious I still need to get some long, hilly runs in for the forthcoming Marathon Eryri. As such, this was a delightful outing from the house in autumnal late afternoon sunshine, over the hill to Bryn Yorkin then down through Cymau to Ffrith. Lovely low sunshine as I jogged up the forest track and through the thick vegetation to the top of Pen Llan y Gwr with its views of Eryri, then an even more delightful descent to Cae ap Edward and Llanfynydd, then up through Horeb and across the top of Waun y Llyn (the second trig) to wend my way home - still not long enough at 26k but decent elevation gain of well over 2000ft.

St Asaph XC

Race: Llanerch Hall 8k (North Wales XC race 1)

Time: 37m

A disastrous performance with few precedents, the only ones I can think of are when I was taking anti-histhamines for allergies in 2007 or so! I started off fairly steadily, an excellent new course down towards the river from Llanerch Hall in good conditions after a windy period. On the climb back up to the top, I felt weirdly weak, and that set the stage. The rest was a nightmare, torn between packing it in or walking the hills to the finish. I opted for the latter, and suspect a cold or some other infection.

Nant Ffrancon round

Another 17 miler in preparation for Marathon Eryri but this time with an attempt to replicate its demands and profile more precisely. I parked in Bethesda and ran up the A5 all the way to Ogwen cottage in just over half an hour, felt OK but my HR was very high. I then ran alongside Llyn Ogwen to the Milestone Buttress, then back to the old road on the other side of the Afon Ogwen, the opposite side of Nant Ffrancon, all the way down to Lon Las Ogwen and the Slate Trail. Off-road and undulating to the Old Turnpike road and then a long extension through Tregarth all the way to the service station on the A55. Back up the draining climb to Bethesda. Still not long enough, but well over 1000ft of climbing.

Tattenhall BL

Race: Tattenhall 9.8k (Borders League 1)

Time/Position: 37.04 (76th from 448 [1st V55])

The start of my 20th season in the league, on the familiar Tattenhall course. After last week's post-injury 'range finder' I tried again to start steadily, but in the always ultra-competitive league that is easier said than done! As a result, I started to feel uncomfortable fairly quickly, unsurprising after the injury and lack of training. Dark Lane was again too fast, which meant a very tough climb up Harthill Lane and Road, always one of the hardest of Borders climbs. I managed to hold it together by dropping the pace, and kept it steady through Burwardsley to the run in. I lost a few places but nothing too disastrous until the last few hundred metres, where - as last week - I really struggled. Still, nice to win my age category on the opening race as the pace will hopefully pick up when I resume proper training. Miles down the field, but actually only 90 seconds slower than my 2022 time on this course, when I had a bit of a flier and was on good form.

Pen y Fron climbing

Crag: Pen y Fron

Routes: Professor Plumb (f6a:led), With the Crowbar (f6b:sec), In the Pandy (f6b:sec), Leete Entertainment (f6a+:sec)

Second visit to this useful 'new', if slightly scruffy, local venue. Given my limited strength and lack of climbing, it seemed prudent to start with a lead, and I chose what I think was Professor Plumb at a mild 6a (probably easier). Quite steep but with good rests on good flat footholds. As with lots of the routes here, the climbing is better than it looks with a bit of thought usually required, and often hidden (but usually good) holds. Peter then led the two routes to the right, which were both steep and quite awkward in places, before leading the best of this bunch, Leete Entertainment, which takes a groove below what looked initially like a slab but which was actually a fairly steep headwall. Nicely direct with some good technical climbing and high steps, though-provoking and challenging for me with limited upper body strength.

Gyrn Wigau

Peaks: Gyrn Wigau

Area: Carneddau, Eryri

Just a 50 minute time-pressed blast from Gerlan but actually quite interesting, partly because of the superb clarity of light, but also because I don't recall following the narrow lane of 'Ciltwllan' before. It leads directly up to the wonderful tracks of the Carneddau, and means you can get to the top of Gyrn Wigau in half an hour or so. I was a bit tired after recently getting back into my normal training routine as the achilles issue eases - a quicker than usual social run from Llanfynydd last night, for example. The track is well-defined and steep in places and leads to the rocky top of Wigau, a grand seat for views over the central Carneddau, but also down to Yr Eifl and across the whole of Anglesely. Very clear conditions in a bracing fresh breeze. After sitting down and enjoying the view I ran back to Gerlan - 10 minutes from summit to the top farm.

Llangollen canal 18m

Another 'last chance' long run by way of very late preparation for Marathon Eryri. A beautiful morning with tremendous clarity of light, so I probably should have headed for the hills, but it was important to get the mileage in so I parked in Acrefair and ran to Pontcysyllte after which I took the Llangollen canal all the way to Horseshoe Falls near Rhewl. This wasn't as far as I thought it would be, so after doubling back round and through Llangollen, I hadn't done enough so ended with a few very hilly miles over to Ruabon and back - 18 miles in total at a steady but unspectacular pace, heel feeling OK.