July 22, 2013

Snowdon race

With Myra away, I enlisted the help of virtual Granny Mo (not a granny by blood, but by deed) to look after the small people while I was on hill and the 3 seemed to have a great time while I was away.

For my fitness (and it was better than I expect) it was tactically just about perfect (again). 1.20 to the summit was OK. Took 0.5l of Nuun and refilled the bottle when I could which was spot on, though maybe should have taken more fast at the last water station at 1/2 way down.

It was a 1st outing for a Chill Tech head video camera. I put it on just after the top to caputre some of the descent. About a minute in my sun-concious worked out I had probably put it on my head upside down, so set it the right way up and my of turned it off. So I got 67 seconds of footage offset at 90 degrees. Still, it was an experiment.

The 1st half of the descent was fast, but did not feel as fast as previous years, just did not have the lung capacity to keep the going flat out. The last 1/4 of the race was brutal. The breeze had disappeared, it was got hotter and I slowed to a jog. Finished in 2.02.48, a little slower than I would have liked by under 2 hours on a hot day is OK. A lot slower than my best time of 1.42, but maybe half down to being less race fit and half down to the heat.

I did see 2 runners go down, one girl I spoke to after had a broken writs and a chap took a nasty fall just below the 1/2 way point.

It is a great race, it does have an element of being a big event, but done in Llanberis style. I am not one for external motivation, but I still get a lump in my throat thinking about running past the Vic. The reception and encourgaement is just great and every year it is such a lift.

After a 3 year gap, I am pleased I ran it again. I do the race for the 1st half of the descent and the run past the Vic and will do it again. Well done Steve and co.

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