Hotfoot up Famau race

Race: Hotfoot up Famau fell race (3.5m/1200ft/AS)
Time/Position: 38:41 (4th from 65 [1st v40])
Cooler than expected tonight, very dry underfoot, with bracken perhaps a little lower than usual. Some explanation perhaps for the fact that I took 2:16 off my pb for this tough and excellent race - the first of the enjoyable Clwydian summer series. Definitely stepped up a gear too, deliberately started fast, plummeting down the valley from OD towards Fron Bellaf in third place. Kept it going quite well, quick pace down the narrow path with one close shave after a slip, and ran more of the very steep hill up Moel y Gaer than in previous years. Still well placed as we continued up the ridge before another fast descent down to Nant y Ne. No breeze at all for the climb back towards the gully - humid and hard as a result. As ever, the gully gave a desperate struggle up to the summit. But I didn't blow up and found myself alone for the long fast descent down OD to the finish. First vet for the second time in a week (shame I narrowly missed the hat-trick last Saturday!).