Hotfoot up Famau

Race: Hotfoot up Famau fell race (3.5m/1500ft/AS)
Time/Position: 38.13 (5th from 96 [2nd V40])
It's that time of year again: the races come thick and fast, with little recovery between events. Fortunately, this splendid little outing - the first of Martin's summer series - is so short that you don't get much time to feel sorry for yourself. As it happened, I felt a lot better than I have done recently, taking a few seconds off my previous best time, and really enjoyed what was probably my 4th or 5th time in the event. With this race now attracting 100 or so runners, the manic start up the path from Penbarras gets harder and harder each year and I was well down the field for the dash down into the valley - the path is so narrow that it's hard to overtake. It's this early plunge that makes the race unique though, and by the time we gained the open slopes at the top of Moel y Gaer we started slowly passing a few of the fast starters. At last, I felt like I had some strength in my legs and enjoyed the soft peat of the steep descent to Nant y Ne. Kept it going quite well up the valley, although I was well behind the leading trio by now, and felt reasonably comfortable in the gully before maintaining my place on the long, flat-out descent.