Club 5k handicap

It's been a while since I last did a handicap event, but I do remember doing this course a few years ago. It leaves the bottom Famau car park by the track climb towards Cilcain, a hard effort in itself, before a very fast descent curves round to the base of the main track. After this, I had forgotten how long the next climb is - and it now has an awkward rolling surface of fairly large stones. I started with Jez and Gerard, and finished between them in mid-pack, which is where I almost always finish in handicaps! 9th from 21 in 20.33, the 4th fastest time. Not too bad given the 180m elevation and awkward surface.

Princes parkrun

'Race': Princes parkrun

Time/Position: 18.38 (4th from 358)

I seem to be unconsciously ticking off the parkruns within a 30 mile radius of home, and this was a particularly enjoyable example, combined with some social visiting and a little tour of the 'Welsh streets'. That came first, on the warm-up through the little terraces on the edge of Toxteth. Then came the parkrun, Dave L's local, a very pleasant two and a half lap circuit of Princes Park (Sefton Park's smaller relation) in blustery conditions. It was the standard post-50 performance and I was first in the age-graded race, whatever that means. I've done far more parkruns this year than ever before - I was only ever an occasional parkrunner in the past as I always felt they interfered with proper races, but as I ease off for the 'fallow year' they will make an excellent replacement.

Round the Walls

Race: Round the Walls (4m)

Time/Position: 24.03 (14th from 556)

The third consecutive Walls race for which I have been recovering from illness. In 2021 I was recovering from Covid, in 2022 glandular fever, and this year a short but unpleasant vomiting bug which struck after Friday's long run. To my surprise, however, I had a good outing - and felt fresh and perky throughout. Perfect conditions for a change, albeit a bit wet on the Roodee, and it was the same course as last year - the most satisfying of the many variants I have raced on my 13 or 14 appearances at this race, one of the oldest in the area. I pulled away from Jez on the racecourse and then upped the pace, perhaps to an unwise extent, for the riverside path to the Grosvenor Bridge. Then it is up on the walls at Lower Bridge Street. I had a great circuit, and as ever I really enjoyed the exciting racing along the walls, taking a couple more places and keeping a decent pace ticking over to the finish back on the Roodee. I was beaten by a mystery V50 but finished ahead of all V40s and V45s. Kate and Morgan had excellent races too, M finishing comfortably in the top quarter despite a distinct lack of training. 

Llandygai-Eirias Park

The traditional pre-Christmas long outing, our decision today was made for us because 50mph+ westerlies were raking north Wales and rendering the mountains out of bounds. A linear run seemed advisable, along the lines of our North Llyn epic of 2020. I parked in Llandygai just outside Bangor and Jez and I set off along the North Wales Path, following which was our basic plan for the day. It is quite poorly marked, but we found our way under the A55 then alongside the Ogwen, fairly raging after much rain. The path weaves up towards Bethesda through some unfamiliar terrain but with a very familiar backdrop of the high Carneddau, shrouded in mist. After a long but intermittent climb it finally heads eastwards along the minor Aber-Tal y Bont road before branching off for superb running along the tracks that encircle the northern edge of the Carneddau. These contour high above the Menai Strait and always give exhilarating running, but particularly so today with the tailwind. The route then kinks south towards Aber Falls, hard with a headwind. Again, I had done this section before and it is brilliant, delivering us to the foot of the falls. Back down the tourist route then up along the Foel Fras climb towards Bwlch y Ddaefaen. I began to tire a bit for the next section which was much harder than I had anticipated. It descends to the deep valley of Nant y Coed above Llanfairfechan, then climbs up to the Druid's Circle in pretty grim weather, before taking a slightly circuitous route to the top of Sychnant. I was really tiring, partly because I hadn't felt great since Wednesday night, partly because the NWP took longer than anticipated. Whatever, I took the road back to our planned break in Hod, and Jez joined me five minutes later - 20 miles down, but well timed for a bite to eat. After this, fresh socks and road shoes represented rebirth, and we initiated 'plan b', a direct route back to the second car at Eirias Park (where Jez had parked this morning). I felt much better through Junction and then up Pabo Lane to Mochdre, despite its rather painful little gradients. Then an easier finale through the mean streets of Colwyn Bay to Eirias Park. Almost 44k/1500m elevation, rather surprisingly. An excellent and memorable outing to add to the pre-Christmas tradition which goes back many years now.

Widnes parkrun

'Race': Widnes parkrun

Time/Position: 18.02 (4th from 256)

The scenic delights of Widnes ('the dirtiest, ugliest and most depressing town in England' according to an 1888 source) lured me to Victoria Park, venue for what I had been told was a fast, flat parkrun. It was indeed but sadly I felt a little lethargic this morning. Still, it was nice to see Dave L and I did quite enjoy the three-lap circuit of the park, which goes past a duckpond and has plenty of space for overtaking. I would say Bala is a tad quicker, for me anyway, but this is still potentially a very fast parkrun and a nice little outing from home.

Skiddaw

Peaks: Little Man, Skiddaw

Area: Skiddaw, Lake District

As with Langstrath, it's been decades since I was last on Skiddaw. I do remember being a little uneasy about whether I had actually been to the true summit or not that day in the 1990s, as the clag was very thick (and it has to be said that it's not the most exciting mountain). Today, going via Little Man, I realised that I had almost certainly only climbed the forepeak of Little Man that day so had actually never properly done Skiddaw (although the memory is naturally hazy). After another nice evening and breakfast with Vic in the Borrowdale Hostel, I set off for the car park at Latrigg above Keswick and Applethwaite. The weather seemed to be clearing a little after a wet night, although there was a lot of hill fog around. I adopted a jogging approach, intent on a fairly quick trip to the summit before driving home. The huge path is pretty steep initially, and after one spectacular clearance to the east when the sun broke through the mist, I re-entered the clag which remained set in. After the initial steepness, it all eases as it continues upwards. I took the left-hand branch towards Little Man, where I realised this was very likely where I had actually got to all those years ago. I realised this because, in the mist, it seems a very distinctive peak. In reality, there's a fairly long descent before a long section of treacherous sheet ice/neve in the col between the two peaks. The final haul to Skiddaw proper takes some time and I reached the trig in 56m from the car. I descended direct down the quickest possible line, superb running, in 27 minutes. About 1.23 in total.

Esk Pike maxed

Peaks: Esk Pike

Area: Borrowdale, Lake District

As with Great End this time last year, Esk Pike is a lesser known peak surrounded by more famous and distinguished mountains. And as with Great End, I couldn't remember doing it before. So, again as with Great End, I decided to make it the target of a longish loop to maximise its value. I wanted to go from the door of the hostel (my favourite in the Lakes) so did so after a nice breakfast with Vic. I jogged to Stonethwaite and then embarked on the track to Langstrath. This, rather like its name suggests, feels a little Scottish and is not typical of the Lakes. It kinks markedly to the west quite quickly and opens out to a broad valley with views of Esk Pike and Bowfell at the head. I had only been up it once before, with Tim in the late 90s, when we came to do Cam Crag Ridge, a well known scramble. That was an option today, but the weather was shaping up nicely so I wanted to go further. A mid-layer of mist was giving some spectacular views and it was cold and crisp, infinitely better than yesterday. Langstrath is gentle but long, and it narrows towards the top when the path becomes surprisingly vague (most people head up Stake Pass before the upper section). I was heading for Angle Tarn but unfortunately entered the mist at this point - it was so thick that viz was dramatically reduced and I had to be quite careful to find my way to the lake. In fact I virtually walked into it before I properly saw it, such was the denseness of the mist. The main path from Mickleden represents a huge contrast, engineered and very popular (although not today!). As I climbed above the tarn, the mist began to peel away with stunning views of Bowfell as it poked through into a blue sky. A little higher I found the turn-off for Ore Gap (I was here just after lockdown for my solo Langdale Horseshoe) and ploughed up this, some verglas at the top. It clouded over as I turned right for the rocky summit of Esk Pike but the summit still gave great views to Scafell Pike, the Langdale Pikes and Skiddaw, as well as Morecambe Bay in the distance. A nice little terrace gives a comfortable descent to Esk Hause. From here, I perhaps should have extended the day but I didn't want to overexert myself and was moving quickly. Great Gable made a superb backdrop to the rest of the descent, which is very comfortable and fast. It is also familiar down to Styhead Tarn, another major crossing point and familiar from several classic long fell races that I have done. From the tarn, I got down to Stockley Bridge and Seathwaite in around 25 minutes, then continued along the road to Seatoller and back to the hostel. Over 21k but less than 900m elevation - in 3.10. A delightful amble around Rosthwaite and the Derwent followed, more convinced than ever that this is the best time to visit the Lakes, mid-week in mid-winter.

Haweswater loop

The hinterland west of Shap is where the Yorkshire Dales meets the Lakes, or that's how it seems to me as an outsider. I have been here before - once to climb on Gouther Crag, and twice for mountain marathons based around Wetsleddale. This was a perfect way to break the journey to Borrowdale today - the weather was abysmal, the high tops out, and it gave a brilliant little outing. I remember running down the far end of Haweswater in one of those mountain marathons, most likely the Rab in 2010. Today I parked in Burnbanks and took the full 10 mile circuit of the lake anticlockwise, remembering that the valley is the site of the drowned village of Mardale Green, the Cumbrian equivalent of Tryweryn. The western shores are traversed by a little rocky path, flooded in places today, and have a wonderful wild feel at the far end, accentuated today by the weather conditions which remained dreadful, torrential rain throughout. The path gets quite narrow, surprisingly so, as Mardale Head is approached, all completely empty. The lakeshore twists and turns up here, until it finally reaches the road head. From here, it is quiet and undulating tarmac all the way back. Almost 17k/337m in 1.41. Then a leisurely drive to Borrowdale via Penrith as dusk gathered.

Wrexham BL

Race: Wrexham 9.5k (Border League race 3)

Time/Position: 33.58 (56th from 334 [1st V50])

The last time this fixture was held was just days before the first Covid lockdown in March 2020: it was a weird occasion and I actually packed it in after one lap (partly because I had done Ras yr Aran the day before). It takes a different industrial loop to the old rural circuit a tad further east. But despite the familiarity of the unglamorous industrial estate, I quite enjoyed this and had a grand old battle with Jez for the category win. It was nip and tuck the whole way until I pulled out a small gap in the last mile. Pace was a little slow, but it was great that the race went ahead after a hard frost, fog, and lengthy cold snap. Currently leading the V50 category after three races, with Buckley comfortably in top team spot in the overall and veterans competitions.