Tavern Trial fell race

Race: Tavern Trial fell race (9m/2000ft)
Peaks: Pen y Cloddiau, Moel y Parc, Pen y Cloddiau
Time/Position: 1:24:17 (4th from 40)
A cracking new (or revived) event yesterday, and a much-needed longer race over this part of the Clwydians. Started in hot, humid weather from Llandyrnog, over a series of fields to gain a track leading to the Moel Arthur car park. But the race soon cut left up very steep bracken and scree to gain the main OD path up Pen y Cloddiau. I was feeling relatively comfortable in about 7th place, which I held for the long descent from Pen to Aifft. A windless, hot climb back up to Moel y Parc was the crux of the race. Hard going, but felt OK, so gained a couple more places and managed to keep it going back over Pen y Cloddiau summit and down to Llandyrnog: the race well spread out by this point and the route-finding occasionally tricky. Neil well out in front. Cut my legs to shreds in the brambles but they had stopped bleeding by the time we got to the pub! My highest ever finish: 4th from a field of 40. Ran most of the way up Famau on Friday night, will do short recovery today.

Clwydian long run

Valuable Peris preparation yesterday evening with Neil. Started below Penbarras in humid, misty conditions. Up to Moel Famau, then over Moel Dywyll and along the ridge to Moel Llys y Coed and down to the road. Superb running. Down towards Llandyrnog then north and west round the Moel Arthur mountain bike loop to Llangwyfan. Then a long hard climb up the bridleway through the woods to the Penycloddiau car park, and steeply up to Moel Arthur. Took the steep direct descent south to the contouring track above Llangynhafal all the way to Nant y Ne, finishing up the dreaded gully back to the summit of Moel Famau and down to the car with mild dehydration. Over 2.5hrs, perhaps 13-14 miles, but a fair amount of climbing. Really good outing.

Moel Famau fell race

Race: Cilcain Mountain Race (4m/1237ft)
Peaks: Moel Famau
Time/Position: 34:47 (8th from 135)
After a calorie-laden weekend in London (one interesting long urban run from Chingford to Leyton Orient FC and back) I wasn't too optimistic for my fifth attempt on the Cilcain Moel Famau race. In fairly windy weather, the race went quite well. I climbed reasonably quickly, to the misty summit in around 21 mins in 10th place, then passed two on the steps down to a 4-man sprint finish! I was 12 seconds down on last year's time, finishing in 34:47, definite lack of speed on the track due to lack of recent intervals. However, I did get the bonus of a flattering 8th place (from 135) presumably because of a relatively weaker field than last year.

Mileage increase

A relatively quiet few days, but did manage about 45 miles in training last week, resting only on Saturday: have managed to get the training back to where it was before the holiday. A tough Wepre run on Thursday with the club, followed by Moel Famau on Friday and the Golly 10k route on Sunday. Ran over Waun y Llyn this morning, feeling tired. Dreadful weather continues to negate more interesting options.

Mini Peris horseshoe

Peaks: Y Garn (3107ft/947m), Glyder Fawr (3278ft/999m), Crib Goch (3028ft/923m), Garnedd Ugain (3494ft/1065m)
Area: Glyderau/Snowdon, Eryri
A good training day yesterday with Neil: doing a semi-reccie of the Peris horseshoe, with the added twist of Crib Goch attached. We started from Nant Peris in quite heavy rain, up the unrelenting and very boggy climb up Cwm Gafr to crest the ridge in bad conditions (cold, wet) and Bwlch y Cywion. Then a mix of running and walking to gain the summit of Y Garn in 50 mins from the car. Down to Llyn y Cwn and up Glyder Fawr in atrocious conditions which cleared briefly near the summit (90 mins). Then the critical section down to Pen y Pass in hail showers, looking for the quickest race route (2hrs+). After a quick break in the cafe, we ran up to Bwlch y Moch, then scrambled up the east ridge in improving conditions before enjoying a fine (dry!) traverse of Crib Goch in classic (Fohn?) conditions: mist shrouding Cwm Glas as we negotiated the pinnacles, but clear views to the south. A rapid jog/scramble up Crib y Ddisgyl in more rain gained the summit of Garnedd Ugain in mist. Good running down to Clogwyn station then dropped into a very wet Cwm Hetiau and back to Nant Peris (4:30) and Pete's Eats. An excellent and unusual circuit.

Gladstone 9 fell race

Fell race: Gladstone 9 (9 miles/2850ft)
Peaks: Tal y Fan (2001ft/610m), Foel Lus
Area: Carneddau, Eryri
Time/position: 1:30:30 (15th/55)
A distinctly average (at best) performance yesterday in the Gladstone 9 (formerly Leg End 9) from Dwygyfylchi. A very nice race though, particularly as the torrential rain stopped just before the start. It heads along the tracks east to Capelulo, then up the far side of Fairie Glen to Llyn y Wrach, then via Cefn Llechan to join the Penmaenmawr fell race route all the way to the wall on Tal y Fan. I know this area well, one of my favourite landscapes of all. Then up the wall to the top of Tal y Fan, painfully steep, before ploughing down through the bogs to the Druids Circle, then up over Foel Lus (superb sea views) to a fast descent back to the village. Felt tired throughout, possibly because I've overdone it since returning from holiday. Ran most of the way up Famau on Friday night and still had the bike circuit in my legs.

Dragon's Back, Coed y Brenin

Mountain bike route: Dragon's Back (Coed y Brenin)
Distance/Climb: 31.1km/710m
First time on the bike for a while today, with another trip to CyB. This time, Rich and I had a bash at the Dragon's Back - loosely based on the old Karrimor (which I think I did twice 7 or 8 years ago) but with numerous new sections: in fact, I could remember very little of the old route. My poort suspension rendered the rocky sections horrible, esp Badger at the start. But then came some excellent smooth singletrack, esp the Hermon section which leads to the long climb out onto the open hillside NE to Moel Hafodwen, great views with a wild feel sadly lacking on most of these designed trails. Superb descent down multiple singltrack sections, particularly good at the top - the Gomez and Morticia sections all new and very fast, narrow descents. The route rejoins the MBR trail (done in Nov) at the excellent Pink Heifer section, then descends to rock and the finish. Took 3:15, which was reasonable given a tough run over Waun y Llyn yesterday, and intervals on Tuesday (first for 2 months!).

Back in training

Conscious I've got some training to do after the holiday, so have run every day since returning from France. A fine run from the Collie up Famau on Friday, followed by several more middle distance runs.