Arenig Fawr fell race

Race: Arenig Fawr fell race (7m/2000ft/AM)
Time/Position: 1:05:30 (4th from 33 [3rd V40])
In danger of slipping into the trap of over-racing/under-training, yet again, but I couldn't resist a crack at this great event. The stunning weather of last week gave way to good running conditions of high cloud, cooler temperatures, albeit accompanied by strongish winds. I know the peak well, although I'd never done the race before. It heads up the track past the crags and lake - a very fast start - and remains runnable for much of the long ridge above Y Castell. It then moves right across boggy moorland to gain the summit ridge well away from the steeper rocky cwm I would normally take. I was battling for third place throughout most of the climb, but felt sluggish and slow throughout, and was passed by three or four runners just after the summit cairn. Mindful of next weekend's crucial Welsh Champs decider, and my dodgy achilles, I gingerly picked down the rocky summit slopes before opening out a bit lower down and regaining the places I'd lost. I took a fairly good line down, finally feeling less sluggish as we hit very boggy ground, and ended up missing 3rd place overall by 4 seconds. Won a prize for first V40 although the first two runners were also in the category. Fabulous cakes and soup for the finishers - a real shame that the turnout was so low this year.