Snowdon & the Welsh 1000m Peak Race

At Ogwyn Mountain Rescue base

Tim was racing the Welsh 1000s race yesterday so I tagged along to have a quick trip to Wales, and offer support where I could. The linear 32km race starts on the coast near Bangor and climbs over the Carneddau and Glyders before finishing at the summit of Snowdon. That's right. The runners end the race at the top... and then have to make their way down. The class Tim had entered is the longest fell race in this event and takes in five 1000m summits with around 3000m ascent.

We'd driven down on Friday so had a short recce of one part of the race route in Ogwyn valley. Tim is a member of Glossop Mountain Rescue Team, so seeing a van parked at Ogwyn MR base we popped in for a quick hello. 45 minutes later we emerged having had a very thorough guided tour by Kevin - cheers.  We then headed up the hill for the recce and just as we got back to the MR base the new rescue helicopter popped round for a practice land and fly by. Fabulous to see and got a few waves from the crew.

Tryfan from across the valley - recce of descent

There was little hill support for me to do on the race route. At the main road crossings the runners had water and given it was going to take Tim around 5 hours to run I didn't actually have time to see him at any of those points and get to the top of Snowdon. My main role in the day was driver and provider of warm clothes at the finish line. So, I dropped Tim at the start, met up with the other three Glossopdale Harriers also running (Al, Saul and Tom) and saw the runners set off. I then drove round to Llanberis and by the time I'd parked, rechecked I had lots of warm clothes and plenty of food and water packed it was 10:10am and time to set off walking up the ridiculously popular track up to the top. Only about 7km to walk but a significant amount of climb and the weather was as forecast - cloud on the summit and very strong winds. I didn't want to have to rush, so allowed 3 hours, aiming to be at the finish line for around 1pm.

Glossopdale Harriers left to right: Al, Tim, Tom and Saul

The start of the race

I've only ever been to the top of Snowdon once before and never by the easiest of the routes up, the Llanberis path which virtually runs by the side of the train line. Needless to say it is *very* popular with all kinds of walkers. Many dressed wholly inappropriately for the weather and height of mountain they were walking up - and some of which will have been borderline hypothermic judging by their shivering and feet stomping at the top.

The Llanberis path, with Snowdon summit hidden by the clag

views on my walk up - mountain railway below the path hidden but I could hear it

I had a really pleasant walk up, doing my best to ignore the ill-prepared short-wearing-carrying-nothing brigade. The views were astounding, with only Snowdon being hidden by cloud. I really wanted to be wandering alone in the valley way down under the path - quiet greenness with a stream way below beckoned. But onwards I walked, seemingly fast in comparison to others given I reckon I passed a few hundred (literally) other walkers as I made my way up.

views on my walk up - looking north-ish

Just before I reached Clogwyn station I put on my goretex for protection against the strengthening wind. I was warm enough, but knew I would chill out incredibly rapidly higher up and could see I wasn't too far off being in the clag. No point struggling with extra layers on the exposed sections!  I chatted away to another lady also heading up to meet her other half running the race. Lovely to chat and take our minds off the climb.

I'd originally planned to nip over to another summit close to Snowdon, Garnedd Ugain (1065m) but really didn't fancy a solo blustery excursion in the clag. The mountain will be there another day.  On to the summit, the path ever busier and the wind so strong your feet didn't land where you wanted, hands on the rocks and floor in places to steady ourselves.

Finally we reached the top of the Pyg Track where the runners would be coming up (indeed they would be

summit photo

going over to Garnedd Ugain before doubling back on themselves to Snowdon). No runners spotted so we pressed on to the summit and because of the very strong wind I literally crawled up the steps to the actual summit trig point.

Dropping down behind the shelter wall I quickly put on ALL my extra layers. The final 5 minutes at 1085m had properly started to chill me and my hands were rapidly turning to the classic Raynauds white. Extra layers on, extra windproof hat on, buff tucked in and under the hat/over my nose, extra gloves on and hand warmers inside. Slowly warming up a little though my toes and feet stayed cold till the descent. I think it took me about 2 hours to get to the top, so for the next hour or so I hung around. A few runners were coming in but it seemed they were all from the shorter race that had set off earlier than Tim's. I think I clocked at least one long runner come in, then all of a sudden Tim appeared!!! Super amazing astounding, I really can't tell you the a) amazement of his speed and b) the relief he had finished on such a windy day - it had been a headwind for him all the way.

Tim's the one with the white sleeves busting
a gut to get to the dibbers just behind me

I quickly handed him warm layers and spare warm gloves as he was having his kit checked (great to see the marshals insisting everyone get kit checked) and once he'd gathered himself we headed down the hill. It would have been great to stay up there with Catherine (waiting for Glossopdale Tom) to come in and the others but it was bitterly bitterly cold and we both needed to stay warm - or not get any colder at least.

The walk down seemed longer than the way up, relentless downhill testing quad strength! We chatted, Tim got cramp (and recovered), I fed him and pushed the water bottle his way, we bumped into another runner Tim knows so he joined us and soon enough we were back in the sunshine and the streets of Llanberis.

Medals for race finishers are normally handed out at the summit but the train wasn't running so they were given out at the sports hall, along with endless tea and cakes - brilliant organisation and thank you to all the marshals and helpers. I know I wasn't running, but they really did make me feel very welcome. There was an ipad updating with results in the hall so it wasn't long until we could see all the Glossopdale runners were finished - cracking running by all. It was then just the tea-drinking waiting game til they all got safely off the hill.

Seeing the results confirmed that Tim wasn't in second as we had maybe thought at the summit but he was indeed a brilliantly placed 4th. After a few phone calls by another helpful marshal we learnt Tim would be receiving a prize so we hung about and headed over to the pub in Capel Curig for prize giving. Sure enough his name was read out, 4th in A Class Long Fell race...he got a super ceramic bowl and a welsh flag buff.  I am super proud of his run, and all his training - especially impressive given he has his final exams for his Physiotherapy degree this coming week.

Tim receiving his prizes

British Fell Relay Race 2013

I had the delightful task of leading out the Glossopdale Harriers Ladies team in the 2013 British Fell Relay Race held in Llanberis last Sunday. To be fair, I'd asked for that leg, it being a) the shortest, b) the leg with least ascent, and c) meant I didn't have to hang about getting nervous for 3-4hrs. The idea in my head was to get the leg with the least chance of me losing the most time. Did it work? Who knows. But our team placed 15th/35 and I didn't come last in my leg. To me that's great. Was it fun. Errrm. It was hard, it was damn windy, it rained...a lot. It was very muddy and slippy. Paths were more like rivers. All attributes a good fell race should have. Afterwards I felt like I could have run again...though my lungs at the time would not have been able to push any faster. My lungs really don't like being worked hard in windy conditions.

Final preparations for me in the Glossopdale tent

The first sign that the race would be a tough one was on my recce the day before. The route was basically uphill (mostly steep with a few undulations) for 3km.

The grassy bank topping out of the quarries on recce day - looking up

and looking down

A bit of traversing then a short shallow descent, a short ascent to the trig on Cefn-du (441m). Then a descending boggy path, descent down a rocky track, a very steep descent through bracken on a muddy trod, across fields for 600m on mud/rock/grass and a final stretch of about 600m on tarmac.

What I didn't know is that the actual start line was a further 600m down the tarmac road. Deflated I started right at the back of the pack. An unforgiving gradient and fast start pace left me seriously breathless before I got off-road. I was however determined not to be last as we ran past all the spectators so I pushed on and made my way up the field a little.

Leg 1 start...spot me in blue

Climbing through the bracken and quarries was slow. Not only because of the gradient but the shear sogginess of the path, the headwind and narrowness of the path meant that it was difficult to overtake, even if I could have. I grabbed a few places back on the slate steps, which I promptly lost again on the grass bank that climbed out of the top of the quarries. I noted that me and a Carnethy lass were leap-frogging places so figured I couldn't be doing too badly. Turned out I came in a minute or so ahead of her, though I've no idea where I left her.

Nearing the high point of leg 1 on recce day

Most of the race was a blur with me just battling to keep going. Knowing that my other team mates were in the event centre waiting to run their legs kept me moving as best I could. I was disappointed not to be able to run more of the ascent. Even in places I knew I should have been able to run the wind was so fierce it just stopped me from pushing on faster.

The trig point on recce day

Then there was the boggy conditions. In places the grass was disguised as bog which didn't help, leaving my feet sinking 6+inches underground then energy-sapping-shoe-sucking-off leg lifts to take the next step. As I passed through CP1 I knew there wasn't much more ascent. I would hopefully regain some form of regulated breathing on the descent. CP2 was at the summit and some windswept marshalls cheering me on - thanks, I appreciate the encouragement.

The stony track descending - on recce day

My heart rate was almost maxing out even on the descent...maybe that was due to fear on the steep bracken trod section. Then the final traverse across some horrible ground - boggy, rocky, bracken and nettles, a gate or two, a stile, then the final uphill on tarmac. It was quite difficult to keep going on that bit, but with a lot of leg 3 runners already on their way out I had to push on. To be honest I felt quite deflated seeing so many runners going the other way. If it had been a solo race I would have walked up that bit. Think of the team. That's all that kept me going. I know I was never going to compete with the front ladies, but I did my best. I pushed as much as I could and got close to throwing up a couple of times...surely that means I was trying?!

The final descent into the finish area hurt. Tarmac, heavy legs, lungs complaining. The pain of having a u-turn to do at the bottom put me off my stride, then the final metres to hand over to Sue and Zoe.

Me on the final few meters...

And the final dib. My time was 55:07 and 28th/38 ladies on my leg. The rest of the GDH ladies all made up places on their respective legs: leg 2 (Sue and Zoe) in 19th place, leg 3 (Jude and Lins) in 16th, and leg 4 (Caity Rice) giving us a stonking finish coming 3rd in her leg. In total we bagged 15th place. Good running ladies. The Glossopdale men had good races too, the A-Team coming 26th and B-Team in 47th.

Leg 2 coming in...Zoe and Sue running well

Leg 3 heading out...Lins and Jude going so fast they're just a blur

Leg 4 being brought home superbly by Caity

Leg 1 was advertised as 7.4km with 350m ascent. I clocked 8km with 440m ascent. Not much different in length, but a whole lot different for the ascent. Looking at the map the start/finish isn't where we started or finished!!

Will I do a relay again? We'll see. I guess there's too many variables to speculate right now. Either way it's a good day out. The socialising and spectating are brilliant, even in torrential rain. I saw some amazing efforts and team work throughout the day...hats off to the jelly-legs man helped over the line by his partner, and to the chap who's shoe must have disintegrated at some point - top marks for running in your sock (for how long I'm not sure), good on your partner for the piggy-back along the final slate run in. To everyone who took part well done, and a massive thanks to the organisers, marshalls and cooks - it was brilliant.