Snow, Snow, Snow

Seal Skin socks and Inov-8 studs dealt very well with uncompacked snow and the little ice that has been around. So Friday to Sunday included very nice, but quite cold evenings of 5 or 6 miles in the dark on snow. I suggest a snow plod multiplier of about 1.2 making the running a little harder, but no where near the added difficulty of last year. Still, more snow is forecast so the snow plod multiplier may increase.

Hound has a new green flashing led collar which appears to stop motorists who can't work out what it is.

The tail end of this week has been really about getting myself reacquainted to running in the cold and dark. While moving I find I need a lot less insulation that I expect when I am starting out. This is important to be able to judge how many layers and how thick each one should be for the temperature and wind. I have pacing for 2 winter rounds coming up in 2 weeks time and keen not to make the same mistake as last year where wearing a Buffalo Smock almost cooked me alive, even though the temperature was around -8. Major lesson learned.

Other major lesson was that drinks not in a flask will freeze, so I have a few heating pads which should take the chill off a drink in a camel pack without melting the bag itself.

Cardington Cracker race next weekend. I suspect it will be fun! For some historical reason it is one of my 3 favorite fell races of the year (Long Mynd Valleys and Nant Peris Horseshoe are the 2 others). A time of 1.42.30 last year, so lets go for under 1.40 this year, but times relative to last year will be irrelevant if there is a lot of snow to slow things down and spice it up.

Poor Little Sod

Something I suspect most road runners don't come across during their training.

My car was being serviced in Aberaeron, and as I am taking a weeks holiday between jobs, I took the opportunity to run along the coast path from Aberaeron to New Quay and back, about 6 miles each way. I did this section in June in trail shoes, but I do wish I had worn studs today as I slipped over a few times. Wales in November so I got soaked on the run down. Enjoyed a coffee, some welsh cakes, a read of the paper in New Quay and started to run back.

On the beach north of New Quay I came across this little fellow and a reasonably elderly lady who had just pulled him out of the surf at no small risk to her self. Her friend had gone to get a phone. She was walking 2 dogs, one of which was deaf and blind and would every so often bump into the Seal pup, and then bark at it, but facing the the wrong direction.

We waited a while, but the Octonauts failed to arrive. I had my mobile with me so via the Coastguard (I was one long ago ago, so had a good idea they can be the official in the middle for such things) who somehow got in touch with Bert the man who rescues Seals in mid-Wales. Only took Bert the Seal man about 40 minutes to get to us.

While a Seal pup looks very nice, injured as it was, it was still very keen to demonstrate its ability to hiss and show its teeth to make you think that handling one is best left to someone like Bert who know what they are doing. Seals carry Salmonella, so care and gloves are required in their handling.

The Seal pup had lost one eye (crows picked it out), was exhausted to the point it could not move itself and bleeding from the mouth. I expect he got washed around by the storm last night. Bert thought the seal pup was about 2 weeks old, still dependent on its mother and would have died if left. Seal pups appear in September/October and this one was probably born quite late in the year.

A young couple staying at the Caravan park above the beach were part of the team which carried Seal pup across the beach and up to Bert's car in a dog cage. It was being taken to the Seal hospital in Milford Haven. The couple named him Nelson and Bert told us how to visit him. I won't be going to see him, best to do your bit and move on in such things. As I was still damp from the run down, I got cold, even though the Sun came out while waiting on the beach. I was happy to see Nelson in the back of the car and to get running if I am honest.

Should nature have been left to take its course? Possibly. I don't know if Nelson was a grey or a common seal and what the population balance is in the Irish Sea. Since someone was bothered about saving it, I guess it must have been worthwhile. In short, not for me be the judge for the future of a fellow mammal.

So if you do run along the coast this time of year, then Welsh Marine Life Rescue on 01646 692943 is a useful number to have programmed into your mobile.

Winter's come on the Meirionnydd Round

A few pictures taken on Wednesday on the section of the Meirionnydd Round north of A458. Only had time for a quick "lunch time" run on my way to get the train to London. Got as far as Glasgwm, before running out of time and having to turn back. Great view of the whole round, but my feet got very cold. Note to self to wear Seal Skin socks when out on such ventures from now on.

Clwydian Hills Race

Pics as usual thanks to Alistar.

A good excuse to explore a new area which is the area of hill between Mold and Ruthin. Race was 10 miles and 3100ft of up and down. The start was a bit random with runners spread out over about 100m and a whistle and "off you go". I was near the start by chance, so had 1/2 the field stream past me in the 1st mile.

Most of the up was runnable for the mid-pack folk unless you have spent the last 2 years training to walk up hill, so I lost places on each of the quite gentle up hills. Gained places on the down hill and the steep ascent up the gully to Moel Famau. Some of the descents were fantastic in terms of being quick and I appear to have properly got my descending head back.

I did a time of 1.36.?? which is better than the target of 1.40. I left my watch behind so had no idea of my time until I had finished, just ran as hard as I could. I decided to do without any gel (I had one with me incase I or someone else bombed out) to see what happened. I think it made no difference on this course. I certainly felt like I could keep the power on towards the end. I finished about 10 place ahead of the 2 people I judge my performance against, but you never know what sort of day they had. It did feel like the interval sessions I have been doing made a positive difference in allowing me to run some of the more gentle hills. I did 4 miles on saturday evening which might have left my legs a little tired, but I don't think it made much difference.

Navigation yesterday was a case of follow the line of runners infront. I had a map with the checkpoints marked, but did not consult it which would have slowed thing down a bit.

Great soup and tea at the end. The race was very well run (as would be expected) by the NEWSAR mountain rescue team.

The rest of Clive's running week was looking for new routes and some intervals.