Trefriw Mill fell race

Race: Trefriw Mill (17km/2886ft)
Time/Position: 1.56.36 (9th from 37)
Guilty of slightly underestimating this race, a minor case of familiarity breeding contempt. It is a new, or revived, circuit around an area I know well, heading up from Trefriw to the paths and tracks leading west to Cefn Cyfarwydd. Conditions were quite good: mild with some mist, but generally the cloud base stayed just above the ridge. The long crossing of the complex ridge over Creigiau Gleision is boggy at the best of times, but was waist deep and very arduous today. I fell in three different places between the main Gleision summit and over Craig Wen and Crimpiau: always wonderful views over Cowlyd to the rest of the Carneddau. But, although I know the ridge well and have done it many times, I still managed to underestimate the return leg. After a superb descent down steep grass to Crafnant, I bonked on the way back over the shoulder of Mynydd Deulyn to Geirionydd: no food and a long period of suffering as I staggered along the bouldery and awkward lakeside path. At the last checkpoint, mercifully, two jelly babies materialised: I could therefore regain some kind of pace for the wonderful north and east above the Crafnant valley and down to the Conwy valley and the abrupt finish in Trefriw.