Training Log Archive: GD44

Welsh 1000m Peaks Fell Race

Never done this before and thought I'd give it a crack since some other members from the club were doing it. Matt O'Keefe, Darren Shaw, Matt Whipple, Simon Darke and Briony Latter.

Bus took us from Moel Siabod Cafe (Capel Curig) to a field near Abergwyngregyn and off we went:

S>Aryg: Beautiful valley climb which I'd never done before. I'd been told by MOK prior to the race that after crossing the stream/river, it was better to go straight up the contours to the ridgleine and then up the nose as there were some indistinct trods. A diagonal (shorter) route would have more more vegetation underfoot to contend with.

CP1 Aryg>CP2 Carnedd Llywelyn: Stayed low below Carnedd Gwenllian. Could potentially have gone lower (further West) on approach to Foel Grach. OK to CP2.

CP2>CP3 Carnedd Dafydd: ~150m descent to the saddle and then back up to Dafydd. OK. Went round the side of one little knoll rather than over it.

CP3> CP4 Bryn Poeth: Back out the same way to the wall at SH 676631. This was meant to be manned but there was nobody there. Followed the shallow valley down. OK route I think but I was slow as I was overtaken by about 3 people. I ended up at a fenceline and had to head down and cross a stream on a bridge at the last wall. Better to stay west of Afon Bodesi on lower reaches perhaps? Refilled one 500m soft flask with water here and grabbed a cut orange. Got in here as Darren Shaw was leaving. Cramp started to threaten my quads, hamstrings, calves and shin muscle on the descent. Must take salts in day in lead up to race like this in future.

CP4>CP5 Glyder Fawr: The road section was horrible! The ascent of the track next to Nant Bochwyd (v steep) and Y Gribyn was really hard in the heat. I was accompanied by a guy who was in as much pain as I was. We kept telling each other to keep the wheels on the bus! We went a little wrong at a fork. Look at OS map. We went right instead of left. At Glyder Fawr, I was parched as I'd ran out of water. The marshall let me drink some from his flask!

CP5>CP6 Pen y Pass: I had decided prior that I would not head down the main track but rather take a shorter more direct route down to the sheep shelter. I basically turned off the main track too soon and found myself having to traverse in places to avoid rocky sections and/or steep drops. If you look at Google Maps, it would have been better to stay on the main track and then take a track down to the sheep shelter from there.

CP6>CP7 Carnedd Ugain: Caught Darren Shaw here. I left the water stop before him but he soon caught me and zoomed off with his poles. I was really struggling up here.

Cp7>F: Suffered like a dog.

I drove (in my car) up to Capel Curig with Matt O'Keefe, Darren Shaw, Matt Whipple and Simon Darke after work.

Camped in the field next to Moel Siabod Cafe in readiness for the next day's race.

Drove to work today so I could pick up the bike which I commuted in on the day before.

Ride to work on commuter

Run home from work. Left everything in work so no weight to carry.

Commute to work via Duffryn (Newport) on the London Road. Heavy pannier.

Stiff headwind on the way out.

Loved it!

Ride home the direct way.

Walk with Dawn

Tongwynlais loop

Tempo pace