Dash in the Dark

Race: Dash in the Dark, Llandegla (race 3)
Time/Position: 29.16 (4th from 191 [1st V40])
I was pleased that these night-time trail/fell races had been resurrected this winter, having enjoyed many of them in the past. But I missed the first race in November, then retired from the second after turning my ankle again. So this was my first night-time race since the old series a few years ago. However, there was one big difference: I've done these races with as few as 25 runners, but today the queue snaked out of the door. An enormous field, all rather baffling. The race was good, with a layer of melting snow making life difficult and necessitating a brand new pair of mudclaws. Not ideal to break them in on the race. They helped, but my damaged, fragile ankle made descending very slow. As a result, I moved into 4th place fairly quickly but lost ground on every descent. I was always conscious of the two immediately behind me, as they descended far quicker. But I was able to pull away a bit on the track round the lake and on the final long drag to the finish. Always exciting to race through these woods in the dark.

Hope Mountain run

The village roads resembled an ice rink as I set off in the early morning, but by Hope the extra altitude meant that a layer of soft snow eased progress. By the top of Waun y Llyn, all the trees were draped in a decent covering of snow. After a burst of sunshine as I ran through snowy fields, a light mist came down, and the run across the ridge was very pleasant. A loop around the top, then back via Hope. Slightly tired after yesterday's race, but not too bad in the circumstances.

Twin Piers 10k

Race: Twin Piers 10k
Time/Position: 35.22 (9th from 390)
My quickest 10k time for at least two years, and just over a minute slower than my PB - set on this course in 2011. Recent intervals and border league outings have gone reasonably well, so I was targeting sub-36. There was a slight tailwind, which helped a bit for the first 2k along the prom. I climbed over the Little Orme fairly efficiently, closing a few gaps with the groups in front. Then comes the loop through the estate in Rhos on Sea before rejoining the prom for the final 4k blast to Colwyn Bay pier. Welcome support from the family, but I couldn't quite close the gap with two runners immediately in front and finished outside the category prizes for the first time ever on this race. This is definitely my favourite road 10k; perhaps my 6th time at the event.

Birkenhead border league

Race: Birkenhead 5.6m (Border League race 3)
Time/Position: 31.25 (15th from 314)
I had thought this was to be my 50th Border League appearance, but after checking (I am sad enough to have a record) I realised that I had already passed that milestone at Tattenhall last month. So this was Border League race 51. I quite like this circuit, despite the fact that it is just four longish laps. The park is nice and there are lots of twists and turns: you can gauge your effort against the rest of the field quite effectively. That said, I was a few seconds down on previous outings (at least six) over the course, although I felt I ran reasonably well and am close to my quickest intervals times at present. A bit of a headwind at times may have been to blame. I moved through the field and caught Jez on the third lap: he was strong however and stayed ahead on the final lap, as did two others. Buckley still lead the Veterans table, but have slipped to third overall.

Berwyn traverse

Peaks: Moel Sych, Cadair Berwyn
Area: Berwyn, Eryri
Another opportunity to observe Morgan outside his natural habitat, but whereas last year the Scouts opted for a relatively gentle loop of the Crafnant valley this was a rather more ambitious outing. When I heard the plan - to traverse the range from south-west (Llangynog) to north-east (Cynwyd) I was a bit sceptical and frankly worried about the two younger boys' prospects. I love point-to-point outings but they are committing, and the weather was bad as we set off from Llangynog in heavy sleet and clouds wreathing Craig Rhiwarth. We walked down the little road in the Tanat Valley that I'd cycled down on the Wild Wales challenge last August, then headed up through atmospheric birch woodland into Cwm Glan Hafon. I'd never been here before, and the sleet turned to snow as we traversed under Garnedd Wen to pick up the bridleway down to the next valley over (which contains Pistyll Rhaedr). The rain eased now, but had left a good covering of snow higher up. In the valley, mist began to peel away from the crags as the waterfall came into view - Wales' most impressive. After a dank lunch, we continued up Nant y Llyn towards the main Berwyn ridge. The younger boys began to slow, inevitably, and we split into two groups: more encouragingly, the mist cleared to reveal blue skies and a snowy Berwyn ridge. From Lluncaws we moved up the ridge - windy and cold - me supporting Morgan at times. He was tiring as the mist came down again, but perked up for a superb crossing of the ridge to Cadair Berwyn as the mist intermittently cleared with some spectacular effects. By Bwlch Maen Gwynedd, it was thick again - and a headtorch finish seemed inevitable as the boys slowed considerably. Over Moel Pearce and Moel Ty Uchaf, the moon rising in a purple sky and tendrils of mist peeling away from the hills to the north. Lovely soft light, and we reached the road above Pont yr Hendwr in the last glimmers of daylight. I headed off on a long road slog to pick up the car in Cynwyd.