Penmaenmawr fell race

Race: Penmaenmawr fell race (10.5m/2000ft)
Time/Position: 1:22:16 (10th from 194 [4th V40])
Heavy rain overnight cleared to leave a beautiful autumnal morning: the northern Carneddau was at its scenic best. Kate dropped New Jersey guest star John and I at the top of Sychnant and we jogged down to Dwygyfylchi so I could show him the start of the route. One of my favourite races, and areas: this was my sixth time in the event, I think. I always flatter myself that I know the hills above Conwy quite well, so it was very frustrating to continually take bad racing lines throughout today's race! It is always run 'in reverse' now, and I find the best lines a bit hard to find this way round. The initial long gradual climb to the top of the quarry went quite well, with superb sea views towards Anglesey and cloud peeling gradually away from the higher Carneddau summits. Boggy underfoot, but I managed to make up some ground initially across the main bog to Bwlch y Ddaefaen, then really enjoyed the fast road running down to Cae Coch and the home leg. I then made a crucial tactical error. Jez's group of four were out of sight, well ahead, and I was with a second group of six of seven runners. Feeling reasonably strong, I went ahead on the first hill after Cae Coch, fifth or sixth at this point, but then stupidly followed the wall. Within minutes, I spied the group behind ploughing up the main path 200m further left. I was left with an exhausting haul over tussocks to regain the group, by which time they'd gained a few hundred metres on me. I tried to make up the gap during the final section: my favourite part of the race, scenically, through the little valley to the fords and down past little Llyn y Wrach to the steep donkey track. But I couldn't catch them, and lost another place before the finish. Ended up slightly frustrated, finishing in more or less the same time as I recorded two years ago: all very enjoyable though, as ever, and after excellent free beer and soup John and I extended the mileage by running back over Sychnant to Conwy.