Back at Tor y Foel after a 2 year gap. Legs not been feeling right since Tuesday's session, as confirmed by the warm up, so abandoned any pretence at racing seriously and started mid-pack, building speed up gradually along the track.
Fortunately, the downhill start helped get me going so was gaining places to be about 10th by the slope up to the tramway and then held this right up to the top. Pace was steady along the tramway but it was pretty wet, rocky, and ankle has been struggling a bit again so didn't want to break it.
Since the "racing" was off, didn't attack the hills so found a steady pace through the fields, then a very steady pace up the road (into headwind), and then steady walk up to the top - expecting to be caught all the way. Tried bits of running but after the initial steep bit legs didn't have it, which is no surprise given my hills training this winter. Bit cold around the fields as it was hailing and then raining on most of the hill.
Pretty windy from the top but was able to pick the speed up quickly where it's been a struggle previously, and descended well for me down to the road. Took my usual line parallel to the path down to the gate and had Dan follow me - and let him through gate first. Tried to hold on back along the tramway but this was much more of a river - 3-4 inch deep water for most of the way so no chance of seeing what lied underneath and no way I could run that flat out. Had Helen overtake 2/3 along and then two more at the bottom of the steep field. With the bottom hairpin being ankle deep mud today left me with too much to do to catch before the finish - needed an extra 100m to get the 2 back, and maybe 150-200m more to be back at Dan.
Something like 38s off my PB from 2017 - when I'd done lots of hill training, conditions were pretty good and, after a bad warm up, had a pretty good run. Very pleased with the time for the wet conditions, slow ascent and having come into this with the expectation of being 1-2 min slower just from lack of hill and fell training.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2220258287