Thursday, December 31, 2015

Bowstones fell race

Race: Bowstones fell race (11km/1063ft)
Time/Position: 46.58 (13th from 345 [3rd V40])
My 42nd race of 2015 and a splendid way to round off the year. A big field for a fell race, hardly surprising given the accessible location: it starts at Higher Poynton on the edge of Greater Manchester, at the exact point the urban landscape gives way to the Peak District. A stampede led up the narrow lane over the scenic canal (memories of the equally crowded and manic Burbage Skyline), and this lane then sets the tone for the race: very runnable and fast, more like a trail race in places. A rough track gave way to tarmac on the edge of Lyme Park, then through woods before the main climb gained the open moorland beyond. But it was all runnable up to the highpoint at the Bowstones. Great views over the whole of Greater Manchester and beyond from the next section: a level ridgeway on top of the hill. An excellent muddy descent followed down to woodland. Emerging from this via a stile, another soggy descend led down to the Cage Tower. Round this, then past the main mansion to a fast finish down roads and tracks. I wasn't quick enough to catch the two runners immediately in front but had a good minute gap on those behind. An excellent blast and a great race, particularly nice to have a brief window of sunshine: our small band of clubmates all enjoyed it and we recovered with a quick drink in the crowded Boar's Head race HQ.

Monday, December 28, 2015

Siabod walk

Peaks: Moel Siabod
Area: Moelwynion, Eryri
Our traditional post-Christmas ramble. But whereas last year Rich and I had enjoyed superb conditions on the Carneddau: deep snow and crisp blue skies, this year the exceptionally mild and wet weather has continued for weeks. Today was no exception, although it was at least dry. We headed up the steep road towards the quarries and Llyn y Foel. Weird light: a blanket of high grey cloud over brown hills. We avoided the notoriously boggy section near the lake by contouring the cwm a little higher up, then joining the Ddaear Ddu ridge at mid-height. A little scramble in high winds led to the windy summit by 10am (we'd made an early start as we both needed to be back early). After a bite to eat, we descended to Capel Curig (via the Siabod race route) back to the forest and a pleasant walk back along the valley. This loop really makes the most of Siabod; I think we last did it 5 or 6 years ago in a virtual white-out with waist deep drifts around Llyn y Foel!

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Deeside 5k handicap

Race: Deeside 5k (Christmas handicap)
Time: 17.29
Two race options today: either the Jubilee Plunge from Moel Famau to Llangynhafal, or this informal handicap event round a variant of the Deeside border league course near Hawarden Bridge. I've done the Plunge a few times, and enjoy it, but it takes days for my quads to recover from 12 minutes of eccentric movement and flat-out downhill running. So, I went for John Earlston's handicap: a great idea and very well organised. As ever, the main challenge of a handicap race is keeping a sustainable pace and not getting hypnotised by the challenge of catching the runners in front. The obvious danger is starting too fast in an attempt to catch those in front: and this is exactly what I did! Started to blow after 1km or so, so dropped back a bit and just tried to maintain the same pace over the rest of the loop through the industrial estate and back to the riverside cycle path. I finished 11th from 22 in the handicap, exactly mid-table, which suggests that John's handicap for me was bang on despite my rather slow time. Felt sluggish and heavy throughout, but it was an excellent session which must have burnt off a bit of the Christmas pudding. Sunny and very mild throughout.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Carneddau run

Peaks: Drum
Area: Carneddau, Eryri
The best day in an awful week of weather, but even with some welcome sunshine our chosen route was badly wind-affected. The plan was to do the Foel Fras race route from the coast, so we (Vic, Emma and David from Denbigh Harriers) trotted up the steep road from Aber to the base of Foel Dduarth under blue skies. We had an excellent tailwind for the gradual climb up to the top of Drum, but the wind was so fierce at the summit that it was all we could do to dive into the cairn and get all our spare clothes on. The onward route would have been horrendous into the teeth of the gale in these boggy conditions, so instead we enjoyed an exciting and quick descent down to Llyn Anafon: picking a good line through the tussocks. I'd been glad of the relatively gentle pace as I'd done a 10 mile tempo run the day before; but we upped the pace for the superb track that leads down Cwm Anafon back to Aber. Probably around 10 miles again, by the time you get back to the A55. On this day exactly two years ago, we did the same route but were beaten back from the path to Anafon by some of the fiercest gusts I can ever remember.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Corndon Classic fell race

Race: Corndon Classic, Shropshire (6m/1850ft)
Time/Position: 50.58 (26th from 123 [4th V45])
These lovely hills are tucked away in classic border country, not far from Welshpool and Montgomery. The race makes a brilliant little pre-christmas outing and, although not feeling great after slightly too much beer the night before, I really enjoyed it. The field was bigger than expected, and probably a lot bigger than the tiny Shropshire hamlet of Priest Weston can handle. I was happy just staying mid-pack as the race has a steep start up a little lane which leads to a slippery and very steep field of mud. A short level section leads to the main steep climb up Corndon itself, which dominates this corner of Shropshire at over 500m. After weeks of heavy rain, and some showers this morning, a little sunny interval allowed for great views over the Stiperstones in one direction and mid-Wales in the other. I've cycled around the Stiperstones and Long Mynd in the past, and done a good few Shropshire fell races: but these immediate valleys were new to me. Really struggled on the climb, feeling very slow and sluggish, but perked up a bit for the fast grassy descent down to Corndon Cottage, with a great view of the border country all around. I felt much better on a long road section which led to the short, sharp climb up the hill of Roundton, but I still couldn't generate any speed at all. A steep descent to a boggy XC section along the stream of the Pant, then doubling back round via a long tarmac climb to Cowlton. From here superb grassy tracks with great views led to the last climb up Lan Fawr and a tricky descent down the very slippery and muddy opening hill above the village (which has an excellent cosy pub, the Miner's Arms, in which to recuperate.)

Sunday, December 06, 2015

Caernarfon border league

Race: Caernarfon 10k (Border League race 3)
Time/Position: 36.01 (13th from 262 [1st V45])
It's taken a long time, but I finally came first in my age category in this: my 57th border league race. Numerous second places over the years, but the absence of several key runners meant we all finished much higher up the field than in the first two fixtures of this season. By pure coincidence, we were staying on Anglesey (just like we were when I ran the Anglesey Half Marathon in March), so it was all very convenient. Yesterday, Beaumaris had been under water as floods swept the region. Today, the worst of the rain had cleared and only a few patches of lying water gave a clue to the intensity of yesterday's downfall. We ran the route in reverse, which I've never done before (although I must have done the normal route 6 or 7 times). I think it's slightly easier this way round: up the steep hill opposite the castle, then the undulations through the inland villages. This just leaves the final flat 5k along the lovely riverside path: completely flat. The expected tailwind seemed to have morphed into a crosswind by the time we got there though, which meant times were a little slower than might have been hoped for. I paced the race quite well, moving through the field, and had thought I was just under 36 minutes. Slightly over in the end, but still felt like an enjoyable and encouraging race.