Mileage increase

Another quiet weekend, so another chance to increase the mileage a bit. Consistent 40 mile weeks so far this year: not enough but closer. On Saturday, ran a reasonably paced 17 miler from HK through Bretton and Saltney to Chester, then down the half marathon route from Handbridge to Pulford, down to Rossett then back home via Burton Green. Recovery jog on Sunday, then an early morning run today up and over the top of Waun y Llyn from Hope, down to Coed Talon and back over Waun y Llyn from Llanfynydd. Not too muddy, mild and windless.

Dash in the dark

A cracking first race of 2008 on Friday night, when I ventured out in the wind and rain for the first Dash in the Dark race of the new series. Basically a night-time fell/trail race, run with headtorches, tremendous fun. Starts up the mountain bike track in Llandegla, then cuts across the open hill to a steep, hazardous descent to the lake. Round this, very muddy, to another steep descent then muddy climb back to the centre - about 4 miles, 750ft climbing, but feels longer in the dark, wind and rain! I finished in 9th place, about 29:29 (but an unsurprisingly smallish field of around 40). By chance, I'd reccied most of the course last Wednesday after picking my bike up from the mechanic: helped a bit. Felt a bit tired for the rest of the weekend, which was rainy anyway. But managed 6+ miles on the road on Saturday, then 12 miles on Sunday (Rossett circuit). Urgent need to increase endurance, as my spring/summer plans are now set: Rhayader 20, Paris marathon, Edinburgh marathon, Welsh 1000m fell race, Icelandic Laugavegur mountain ultra-marathon. Each event is progressively harder and should, theoretically, lead smoothly (?) into the next: - supplemented, hopefully, by smaller races, rides, climbs, and some ambitious peak-bagging trips in the maritime Alps and elsewhere.

Llandegla MTB

First mountain bike trip for a few weeks, round Llandegla red circuit for the 8th or 9th time with Rich yesterday afternoon. Muddy, rutted and extremely busy, but good fun nevertheless, and a nice still sunny day for once. A long 11+ mile, very hilly run from Mold to Cilcain, Pantymwyn and back with Shane on Saturday meant I felt a bit tired last night.

Northern Carneddau

A solo trip to the northern Carneddau yesterday. Set off in running gear from Aber, reaching the top of the falls in 15 minutes. But as soon as I got through the entrance to the Cwm Afon Goch an immediate violent pummelling from a ferocious southerly wind meant I had to change plans and cast around for an alternative to the route up Llewellyn. The wind was so fierce that I was being knocked backwards from time to time: running impossible! Instead, I secreted myself in a shallow gully leading to the Bera Mawr plateau. This was steep but relatively sheltered: a cunning solution to the prevailing conditions. On the plateau, the cloud base shifted in and out after lunch on Bera Mawr. I took a bearing across the plateau, but the mist soon cleared. The gale stayed fierce but was now at my back, so I ploughed up Drosgl in four minutes from Bera Bach, then a few minutes over th Gyrn Wigau (last visited as the 'sting in the tail' at the end of the Carneddau fell race in June). I watched the weather coming in over the main Carneddau peaks whilst lying down behind the summit rocks out of the wind. Finished by running over Moel Wnion and back to Aber full-pelt into the teeth of the gale, then down the Afon Gam and the falls. Managed eight miles or so on the roads this morning.

Glyderau

Despite the continuing poor weather, Rich and I did manage a quick trip up the Glyders on 30 December. We left Pen y Gwryd in mild clag, up the Miners Track to the broad ridge above Caseg Fraith then to the summit of Glyder Fach in thick mist, fairly cold. Then across to Fawr and back via the tenuous path skirting Cwm Ffynnon to Pen y Pass and a pint. The day before, we ran from Llangwyfan to Bodfari over the top of Pen y Cloddiau and Moel y Parc in a fierce westerly wind.