Long Mynd Valleys

[wolley tha]

Very pleased with 2:26:48 which was my second fastest in seven years of doing this race. Even more pleased to be in the top 100 of record (I think) 205 finishers. I carried on up the valley and then went straight up on the last climb but I think it was slower than the diagonal route, although agree with Fly that there's not much in it. Lost time on the descent when I cramped badly and came to a halt - very grateful to the chap who stopped to help. My somewhat worn Walshes coped pretty well with all but the most eroded descents. Visibility (or rather lack of) and temperature ensured this race was as challenging as ever.

[trilathon]

not as much fun as last year in the snow and ice, but much quicker, and a tad tougher with all the deep mud about

fog made it quite novel with people wandering all over the shop like headless chickens

saw one chap, in road shoes ?!? perhaps it was just not a tough enough course for him......maybe flip flops next year ?

whilst another was in those barefoot vibram affairs i meant to see how he went, but never caught up with him...good effort !

2:19 for me ( in my fat suit)

[nightingale]

The "vibram" guy was my mate . He ended up running all the way round with me . He didn't have as many traction problems as I thought he would .

[trilathon]

i was pretty worried for him when I saw him on the start line in those minimal feet covers...what with all the sharp bare rock, precipitous gradients, gorse bushes etc involved...it's no trail race !

how did he find it ? I'm amazed by his endeavour

[nightingale]

He's been using vibrams for a while now and I think he's got used to them . He ran the half Peris in a pair with almost no grip in September and was slipping all over the place . His new ones (Treks I think they are) have more grip and appart from the real muddy stuff he seemed to be able to adjust his style to cope . He wil be bloging about his experience by the end of this week

http://trainnowlivelater.blogspot.com/

[tarren]

I promised at the start, to put a link up to a selection of the video I took with my videocam. This was with the tiny cam I wore around the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wlCAEXoPu8

[nightingale]

I wondered what it was in your head when I looked at Alistairs photos . It all makes sense now .
Cheers

[tarren]

I wondered what it was in your head when I looked at Alistairs photos . It all makes sense now .
Cheers

Yes, a lot of folk asked me about it before the start, one thought it was a torch, and how long did I intend being out there.

[alanj]

I promised at the start, to put a link up to a selection of the video I took with my videocam. This was with the tiny cam I wore around the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wlCAEXoPu8

nice vid, well done Strangely, I was finding your "breathing " soundtrack was both rhythmic and atmospheric...Until you coughed !!

[tarren]

Glad you liked it alan, the heavy breathing and especially the coughing comes with age.