Helsby half

Race: Four Villages Half Marathon (Helsby)

Time/Position: 1.25.00 (141 from 1686)

This may well be the last half marathon I ever run. It was very nearly seven minutes down on my course PB, and slightly slower even than my plodding Jubilee Bridge time from June. I ran my first half just before my 13th birthday in 1983 and have long since lost count of how many I've done, but suspect it must be around 50 if not more. But although I didn't really suffer too badly here, I also knew I couldn't increase the pace. Part of that was due to a lack of specific training, and that was itself partly due to my continuing heel (and ankle) injuries. It's a shame that I haven't recorded a decent V55 half time to match my times at other distances, but there we go. I started with Gerard, and we paced each other pretty well in good conditions - wet and quite cold with no wind to speak of. I first did this race 20 years ago and think I've done it six times in total: the route has changed a bit over the years but the basic route around Dunham and Manley remains the same, and it is one of the last remaining old style (non-commercial/club-run) local half marathons. As soon as we hit the hills at nine miles, Gerard pulled ahead and I just put my head down and ground it out, knowing I would lose time and places. This race famously finishes with two miles of largely downhill running, but even this didn't go to plan and I struggled to pick up the pace. A little over three years ago I ran 1.18.04 as a 52 year old at the Vyrnwy half, so I'm not sure age is entirely to blame for the rapidity of this decline.

The Horse

Race: The Horse fell race

Time/Position: 1.11 (1st team from 58)

This really enjoyable night-time event round the Cilcain Skyline is now a regular fixture, despite being only three years old. It's the first time I've done it in a 'clockwise year' and also the first time our team has finished first, rather than second as previously (by time that is, there is also a slightly opaque handicap system!). I ran with Jez and Tom this year, both quicker than me on the hills so was in the unenviable position of anticipating a beasting, at least on the way up. It is an easier and better circuit clockwise, however, so while I did lose a fair bit of time to them on the very familiar climb up Famau on the Collie route, I was then able to make it up a little on the flat. It was wet and muddy underfoot after several inches of recent snowmelt, but not quite as bad as I'd expected (three years ago it was run in memorable snowy conditions). We took the contouring path on the way off Famau, avoiding OD and most of the flickering headtorches from rival teams, and this went very well and quickly down to the col despite the mud. The rest of the ridge to Moel is y Coed was tough, me falling behind on every climb, but then comes the grassy direct descent towards the Nannerch bridleway and I had enough energy to push the pace a bit here, which was fortunate. A pint in the very crowded White Horse to finish.

Pen Llithrig

Peaks: Pen Llithrig y Wrach

Area: Carneddau, Eryri

A memorable outing, breaking trail through deep, unconsolidated snow under a blue sky. It was a route forced on us by our late arrival after the parkrun, meaning we couldn't find anywhere to park to do something ridgy and sporty in Ogwen, so had to start in Capel, which was a shame although not remotely surprising. I didn't want to go up Gallt yr Ogof, as we did the lengthy slog up this just before Christmas. Siabod didn't inspire, so Peter and I headed off to Pen Llithrig which was a perfect gleaming white pyramid from Capel. We had this to ourselves but this had the (anticipated and inevitable) effect of meaning we had to break trail from half way up after following two sets of footprints initially. These disappeared where the hill steepens, rendering the rest like a remote Himalayan ascent! The snow was deep and untravelled: I have done this kind of thing before, and it is notoriously exhausting. We moved towards one of the vague ribs on this side, hoping for shallower cover, and this was interesting for a bit. We also had some windblown solid neve at times, which was glorious relief from the sometimes thigh or waist-deep trudging. But we worked well as a team and eventually gained the summit after a unprecedentedly slow ascent! Stunning views from one of the park's best viewpoints. The unusual volume of snow made everything really exceptional, very fortunate after the spectacular festive outings: the last three outings have all given some of the best Welsh mountain views I have had in 40 years, an incredible sequence really. Llewellyn looked stunning, as did Tryfan, plastered in snow. We ate lunch in the sunshine, although the wind was keen. The descent was far easier, although with little real glissading, meaning we had time for a recovery pint in the Albion.

Y Promenad parkrun

'Race': Y Promenad parkrun (Rhos on Sea)

Time/Position: 18.44 (4th from 428)

A pink sunrise with tendrils of mist across the bay as we arrived in Rhos on Sea. This parkrun is only a couple of months old, but I opted for it ahead of the XC championships today for a few reasons, the most important being the winter conditions in Eryri, which I wanted to combine it with. Peter agreed, and we set off as part of a huge field (some other events were cancelled due to ice, it was -1 even in Rhos on Sea!). I couldn't get going, despite brand new shoes, and really felt the cold air in my lungs. The route heads towards Old Colwyn, rather like Twin Piers, then returns via a rather unfortunate extra loop which rather spoils the flow. It also gets very crowded with runners on various stages, just as well it is a timed run, not a race! I felt a little better towards the end, but all in all this was a disappointing performance, at least half a minute slower than I had intended to run. It was enough for another age group course record, but as the event is in its infancy I doubt it will last long. Peter and I then drove up to Ogwen looking for parking places.

Sliema-Valletta

A mini-break in Malta, and an attempt at a tempo 10 miler in advance of the Four Villages half. As such, it went reasonably well although I did struggle with a fairly early start from our hotel in Sliema. The weather was more or less perfect, sunny and warm but not humid. I hugged the coastline along the bays to Gzira and Manoel Island. From here, another little inlet beyond Ta'Xbiex and then it was up surprisingly steep streets to Valletta, which occupies a high fortress position on its own peninsula. I ran straight through the pedestrianised centre, then east to the Grand Harbour, where I took some pictures of the sun rising above the Sleeping Soldier monument. Wonderful views across to the Three Cities and over Valletta itself, looking like a cross between Tunis and Palermo, as you might expect. This was urban running at its best and I wove my way through narrow streets to regain the hill down to Ta'Xbiex and back to Sliema in around 70 minutes for 10 miles, as planned.

Bowstones

Race: Bowstones (11k/1200ft)

Time/Position: 51.29 (47th from 459 [2nd V55])

Massively down on the three previous times I've done this NYE event, but those were 8-10 years ago! This was a personal worst by several minutes but it was still an enjoyable outing, just a bit frustrating that I struggle so much on even gentle hills these days. Conditions were good, cold and icy in places. I wore an old pair of fell shoes, which weren't ideal, and started fairly well up the tracks from Higher Poynton. I slowed on the gradual double climb to the ridge, and then also lost time on the descent, not able to open up in the way I used to on this race. I slipped on ice twice, which didn't help - once quite heavily on my knee just before the woods, and once above the 'Cage', which takes the route round to Lyme Park manor house with superb views over to a vague cloud inversion above which the skyscrapers of Manchester rose. My injured heel and ankle also came into play on the run-in, which felt more like a hobble at times. Despite all that, a nice way to conclude the year, which went fairly well in the new age category - final rankings were as follows: 5k (41st in UK, 2nd in Wales), 5m (21st UK, 2nd Wales), 10k (54th UK, 3rd Wales), 10m (40th UK, 1st Wales).

Cwm Caseg horseshoe

Peaks: Gyrn Wigau, Foel Grach, Carnedd Llewellyn, Yr Elen

Area: Carneddau, Eryri

I have always called this the Cwm Caseg horseshoe, although it has never been popular. I probably first did a version of it in the late 1980s and thought it would be a good route to introduce M to Carnedd Llewellyn, which he's never done. Easterly winds have prevailed for a while now, and this was another day of stunning conditions: thick clag to the east, searing sunshine west. We parked at Gerlan and went up Ciltwllan to the sharp climb up Gyrn Wigau. I've only discovered this recently - a dry, simple and quick way to gain height. From the top, stunning views of our route, with fog banks spilling over the ridge and down into Cwm Caseg. We both wanted to sample the variety so contoured Drosgl and Bera Mawr on the ancient marked Carneddau highway to get views of the cloud bank: absolutely stunning, a thin layer of cloud descending into the remote cwm. Thick tendrils of hoar frost and iced streams made life a little tricky and we soon entered the freezing mist. This then took quite a while to get out of! A thin sun sometimes penetrated but for the most part we remained under it until finally emerging near the summit of Foel Grach. M had never experienced this before, and it is always magical. We also had a glory/brocken spectre to the north, another first for M. Thick banks of cloud east and north, but clear ahead to Llewellyn which looked Alpine under a thin layer of snow. We had lunch on the top of Llewellyn, watching the cloud rolling over the Dafydd ridge - quite a few people up here, almost all of whom had come up from Ogwen (we saw nobody on our route, only here on the summit). Yr Wyddfa and the top of the Glyder ridge were clear, along with peaks to the north and west, but everything else was under the blanket. Then came the wonderful ridge over to Yr Elen, one of my favourite hills, savouring the view back over Cwm Caseg, and then the trot down the ridge in beautiful light. The bog in Cwm Llafar always spoils things a little, but much of it was frozen today. Back in Gerlan with plenty of time left to have a nap then pick up K!

Round the Walls

Race: Round the Walls (4m)

Time/Position: 25.00 (23rd from 488 [1st V55])

Having won my category at age 40, 45 and 50 (five or six in all) I was keen to try to add a V55 win at this, one of my favourite races and an event that means a lot to me. Always really enjoyable, a great family outing and a brilliant way to start Boxing Day. I've done it almost every year since 2009 or so: and today's conditions were up there with the best, cold and frosty but luckily mostly ice-free. I started off too fast for the Roodee lap and started to struggle as we climbed onto the walls at Handbridge. A little later Jez flew past on the steps and I couldn't hang on to him on the gentle climb from the clock up to the tower. I love racing hard on the walls, and still think the current incarnation of the route is the best. I felt a bit sluggish throughout the walls section though, which was disappointing, getting slower each year, but I did win my category by over a minute. Morgan, Kate and Eve all enjoyed it, and the usual relaxing day followed.