Weekend Update

Sat 16th April Ras Y Moelwyn 10.5m/2800

The course runs through old mine workings and the surrounding hills of Blaenau Ffestiniog. I had to miss this race last year having been called up for road relay duties, so was keen to see what I'd had to give up.

Turned out to be a bit of a shock to the system all the wet rocks after months of peaty bogs. Even had to navigate on my own for a stretch after pulling away from the runners behind. They soon caught me up as I slowed negotiating a really rocky ridge in the mist with map and compass in hand. Mind you I had left a trail of blood for them to follow having scratched the index finger of left hand. For such an apparent tiny scratch it continually poured forth copious red stuff. Had to keep hiding it from the marshalls just in case they retired me.

A bit of navigating cock-up (yes I'd put the compass away 'cos I could 'see' where I was going) coming off the last hill meant I lost a place. I felt my time (approx 2hr20mins) was very slow compared to recent results. But will be back sometime to do it 'properly'.

Sun 17th April Rab Mini Mountain Marathon - Hope Valley

Stewards enquiry ongoing. It looks as though I'm going to be hit with time penalties for this one. The area in question is just south of Castleton. As you can see from the map below



there are 2 small areas of out of bounds (red hatchings) and some paths/ROW (green lines). Red numbers on map are the control numbers, blue ones are the point score. I'd got number 15, then number 12 and had intended on going to number 10 next. However runner in front headed off right. I hadn't considered 7, but did now seeing that it was 15 points.

Now the crux! Dropped down to the green line to find a 4ft6 wall (remember previous measuring aid), the 'official' path being on other side, but I was on a pretty well marked trod/path. Ran alongside wall to the control 7, where gaps in wall allowed access, at no point did I climb over anything more than 2 inches high. From 7 dropped down into Castleton to use paths to get to 10. I didn't do as some did which was to cut across the out of bounds area!!

I finished with over 10mins spare, so await with interest how they'll sort this out as I guess I'm not the only one. My full route measured approx 13m with 2500ft. Numbers 4, 13, 14, 18, 21, 11, 19, 17, 20, 15, 12, 7, 10, 3 and 1. Not in the frame for any prizes this year, but it just shows how careful you need to be with this trail-running malarky, can't go running willy-nilly like you can on 't fells.

TF

ps is anyone else having problems when switching between 'edit html' and 'compose'? I'm spending ages on layout of 'text' just so you don't get one block paragraph to read. It's definitley altered from before Xmas. This ps is a case in point as I'm not going back into 'compose' just in case I have to realign all the paragraphs again. Very fustrating. TF