Run Snowdonia!

To get my Glencoe marathon training off to a good start, I'd booked a day out with Sarah Ridgway, the founder I think of Run Snowdonia. I asked her what she had available but had to go with a days private guiding as there was nothing else available soon enough for me really.

Anyway, long story short, Sarah got me interested in doing a race with her the day before our day out. Initially this was going to be the Snowdon race, hilariously, but it turned out that I was going home to bury my aunties ashes on Monday 11th July so we made it a week earlier, and I ended up in the Tal-y-Fan hill race instead! A bit longer I think and a bit less ascent but a hill race nonetheless. A loop of 8 miles, 661m ascent, very little info online except the usual mandatory kit.

I decided to set off on the Saturday morning, just to make life a bit easier for me, an arrived in Rowen at about 1.30pm, greeted by a sleepy village with a small fete going on and a rather interesting weather forecast. In a stroke of luck, I managed to arrive and park up right next to Sarah, whilst flagging down a guy in a very short pair of shorts...he MUST be in the hill race....tehehehe. He was, and she was there, and full of beans, and I was stoked I made it on time! Got ready, hoped the Morrisons sarnie had gone down (!), paid a whole £4, and a young lad who was the son of an organiser blew the horn and we were off! This race has a killer road section at the start, then a good track, and then onto the hillside. I spent the whole time panting my heart out and giving myself a massive hard time about walking most of it. Then I started overtaking people from the summit of Tal-y-Fan, and found my wee group that I was pace-matched with roughly, a couple of random guys. Got chatting to one of them about the view etc, and was complimented on my pace a few times and then i ran through that small group. The last few hills I did on my own, and thankfully I could always see someone up front so I was able to do zero nav and concentrate on getting round! The final hill down off of the ridge and onto the road was hard going but fine. A sprint finish saw me in at 1h40mins. The fastest lady was Sarah in 1h19m, and the fastest in my category was 1h36! Only 4 mins in front! Unreal!! The race atmosphere was great, the people were lovely and dead surprised it was my first race! I found out about a week later that I was 4th woman overall, and 3rd in my category! Ill take that! Granted there were only 5 but I don't care!

Looming over Conwy Castle Sunday morning.... gulp

Got to go off to Llandudno and stay with Jackie that night, stopped in at Asda for a little supplies, and went over there to her little cottage on the Great Orme, and what a place! She fed me a lovely stew and fresh bread for dinner, and Emma gave up her bed for me to sleep in! We spent all night chatting about her great big cycles, and travelling and all sorts. Was lovely.

Early start the next day, nice breakfast and goodbyes, and off to Petes Eats for 9am. Sarah and me had a chinwag, plotted a route, moved my van to her street, used the loo and off we went. Maybe like 1030 or something.

The route was Llanberis to Moel Ellio, and then a run around the south and east sides of snowdon including down the side of the Cwm Clan, to Rhydd Ddu, then up to Pen y Pass, 16 miles and 1400m ascent. I WAS KNACKERED!

Photo: Run Snowdonia

Photo: Run Snowdonia - heading on the ridge!

Photo: Run Snowdonia - On Moel Ellio

The ridge off Moel Ellio, Photo: Run Snowdonia

What a goregous run Photo: Run Snowdonia

Me struggling up!! Photo: Run Snowdonia

Photo: Run Snowdonia

I managed surprisingly well, we did nav stuff, stopped to eat occasionally, walked some bits, and I went all out on the effort as much as I could. By the time we got to I think, mile 12, I was so ready for calling it quits! The climbs were hard, but doable, and then the descents were slow for me but Sarah showed me the technique I need for those I hope.

Boggy goodness before the quarry Photo: Run Snowdonia

Looking back from Quarry Photo: Run Snowdonia

The quarry Photo: Run Snowdonia

We came from there?! Photo: Run Snowdonia

The junction for Snowdon path Photo: Run Snowdonia

It was a cracking day, there is a link to Sarah's log of the run HERE
I had such a good time and built the confidence to go out running off road for myself at home which is exactly what I wanted/needed. I need to build a plan for running as its a bit free form at the moment and im concerned im not doing it right.....the next few weeks will see this take shape.

Such a great day, throughly recommend Run Snowdonia ..... absolutely brilliant. Sarah helped me out before hand, lent me kit, designed a great route for us despite the weather and was a general all round legend. Its certainly changed my hill running, or made it happen more like!

Here is a pic of the two routes that ive screenshotted from RunSnowdonia Movescount

Our long run!

Tal y Fan