Ras Yr Aran

a lovely setting for a fell race ;)
3 days into a cold and didnt run at all well , although i kept plodding iwas slow slow slow up the fell. should have ran it in just my vest as i to overheated wuth the helly on .
not sure even what place i came , loved the rough parts comin down and managed to pass a local eryri runner.
nice to meet you iain r and got talking a bit to yiannis at the start.
yiannis looking at your battered walshs i think my 4 yr old 3 times re soled ones will be coming out of retirement .
thanks andy for today, good call that we went :)

ps i bet the aran lambs hate the race coming round dont they

Ahh were you in the yellow jacket? yeah we were together for most of the way. TBF I reckon I descended OK, you were going well, and the arm didn't hold me back, you just shot past me and put quite a gap on me, which was maintained until that large style over the wall.

It closed up towards the end before that rise, but then everyone seemed to find another gear and I was left on my own, I fancied catching Tim H but everytime I caught him I bloody fell over, then finally got past him with a k to go and he went again and I dropped off.

good thing was I fell over 3 times today, once yesterday and the arm held up, so seems it's OK.

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Originally Posted by daz h

ps i bet the aran lambs hate the race coming round dont they

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My wife only ran that race to win the series and get her half lamb, so she jogged around knowing she had 2o odd minutes in the bag, she's quit racing seriously for at least this year for non-running reasons, but wanted to get the meat being a typical aussie lass.

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Ahh were you in the yellow jacket? yeah we were together for most of the way. TBF I reckon I descended OK, you were going well, and the arm didn't hold me back, you just shot past me and put quite a gap on me, which was maintained until that large style over the wall.

It closed up towards the end before that rise, but then everyone seemed to find another gear and I was left on my own, I fancied catching Tim H but everytime I caught him I bloody fell over, then finally got past him with a k to go and he went again and I dropped off.

good thing was I fell over 3 times today, once yesterday and the arm held up, so seems it's OK

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Yeah that was me,had a blue/white buff on as well.Made about 5 places on way down,pleased with that.That one short climb near the end had me blowing a bit,and i seemed to get shin deep in every bog on way down which gave me some serious jelly legs.I recognised your wife first(picture on the running blog link you gave me) and saw you with her in the pub.2+2=4:)
Glad your arms ok.

was someone taking pictures
oh and it was nice to see daleside :)

Results now at www.run-meirionnydd.co.uk.

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Originally Posted by daz h

a lovely setting for a fell race ;)
3 days into a cold and didnt run at all well , although i kept plodding iwas slow slow slow up the fell. should have ran it in just my vest as i to overheated wuth the helly on .
not sure even what place i came , loved the rough parts comin down and managed to pass a local eryri runner.
nice to meet you iain r and got talking a bit to yiannis at the start.
yiannis looking at your battered walshs i think my 4 yr old 3 times re soled ones will be coming out of retirement .
thanks andy for today, good call that we went :)

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Daz,
Those were my good Walshes, they only had one re-sole!!
Yiannis

just re-cycling this thread for 2009 (Sat. 21st March), as seems to have some good info

looking like my next race - anybody else attending...?

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Originally Posted by DazTheSlug

just re-cycling this thread for 2009 (Sat. 21st March), as seems to have some good info

looking like my next race - anybody else attending...?

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I'll be staying closer to home that weekend and doing Lad's Leap from Crowden on the Sunday. You could always do both.:D

Having said that, Ras Yr Aran is a great race.

Two "cry-offs" and a prior committment to collect a mate on route mean that I now have space for one or two runners. Will be travelling from Rochdale area if anyone interested?

Cheers

Steve 07889 011 651

Hope this number doesn't appear on any subway walls soon!

Sounded cracking conditions. Andy Davies 1st Rich Roberts second 1:23 ish and Roland Stafford 3rd not sure on time. That's 7 minutes or so off Lloyds record so cracking runs, but Lloyds was set in snow.

Kate Bailey won the womens, think Anna Bartlett second.

I'm gutted i missed this.. in my wisdom i decided to do the Masters XC at Ruthin. It was round flat fields, the sun was shining and i could see fells all around! What was i thinking? :confused:

My pictures of the race are on my site.

www.fellrunningpictures.co.uk



Alastair.

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Sounded cracking conditions. Andy Davies 1st Rich Roberts second 1:23 ish and Roland Stafford 3rd not sure on time. That's 7 minutes or so off Lloyds record so cracking runs, but Lloyds was set in snow.

Kate Bailey won the womens, think Anna Bartlett second.

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I think it was Tim Davies, Iain.Andy was playing and winning with Welshpool @ Camarthen.Good run by Tim.Not sure how much he has been doing but to beat a very lean and fit (pics by Al,thanks) looking Rich Roberts must have been a good run.
I had to work and would have liked the chance to finally beat Roland....he is just to quick coming down :mad:
Not injured are you Iain ??

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Originally Posted by IainR

Sounded cracking conditions. Andy Davies 1st Rich Roberts second 1:23 ish and Roland Stafford 3rd not sure on time. That's 7 minutes or so off Lloyds record so cracking runs, but Lloyds was set in snow.

Kate Bailey won the womens, think Anna Bartlett second.

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Wow! Just seen the photos - fantastic conditions. When Lloyd (and Jackie) set the record in 2006 not only did we have DEEP snow, there was also thick mist which made finding the best line very tricky.

I seem to remember that day Jackie winning half a lamb from the race organisers. Which would have been nice if they weren't both vegetarians!!

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Originally Posted by Rodders rambler

I had to work and would have liked the chance to finally beat Roland....he is just to quick coming down :mad:
Not injured are you Iain ??

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Rolands an awesome descender.

No, been working in East Germany all week and am over in Sheffield dog sitting this weekend, and was too tired to face th drive over after a long trip home, also have a 100k race next weekend so decided not to race.

just to say...

BEST... RACE... EVER!

this is now officially my favourite race (think I've done over 30 now)

good variation of terrain, nicely undulating and the weather didn't hurt either :cool:

Many Thanks to organisers and very professionally coordinated marshals :)

Thanks Alistair - Awesome Piccies! :cool:

even a couple of good ones of me! :D

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Originally Posted by DazTheSlug

Thanks Alistair - Awesome Piccies! :cool:

even a couple of good ones of me! :D

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It was soooooooooooooooooo easy to find you amongst the photo's Daz, because of your lovely vest :)

Recycling again for this year (Saturday 20th March 2010)!

Planning on doing this one. I'm getting excited and a bit nervous as this will be my first proper up-a-big-mountain fell race. Walked up the Aran quite a few times from Dinas Mawddwy side but not this route so will make a change!

i shall be going this one,ive done the other 2 and they were cracking races.

think i'll have a pop at this one, heard good things, my first fell race for what seems a long time now,

http://www.run-meirionnydd.co.uk/downloads/map_aran.jpg

any clues anyone?

i'll be travelling from ellesmere port area if anyone requires a lift

Im doing the juniors.:D

You should do them both!

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Originally Posted by harrymoon

You should do them both!

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If i was old enough i would

Just been up today, I live about 7 miles from the summit. Bit odd really all the snow has cleared off all the mountains in the area EXEPT for Arran Benllyn and Arran Fawddwy!!!:confused:
True what Iain said about distance and ascent. Your looking at 11 miles and 3300ft of ascent (Garmin Forerunner 205 data) IF they use the comlpete route.
To the foot of Benllyn is all runnable with the odd patch of 2ft deep snow to contend with, then the ascent of Benllyn is snow covered to the summit, 4 to 5ft drifts with no sign of the path at all!!
From Benllyn to Fawddwy trig i.e 1.7 mile is a non runner just a waist deep truj through snow drifts, I even got a weji when my foot went through the snow and my nuts got crushed on the top wire of the fence which was totally covered by snow:o. The 6' high double styles just before the summit are just not there I literally walked over them. Major drifts!! The snow just wont go as tempretures here are still low. So I hope for a miracle for it to go before saturday:)

I take it they won't cancel the race but provide a shorter route?

Dont think they'll cancel. They've used a shorter route in the past, just to the summit of Benllyn. But wont know untill the day of the race. I think Snowdonia national park wardens go up on the morning to asses the conditions and the make the call.

Hmm..im coming to do this one aswell - will the Race organiser be communicating the Race/No Race via the Web if they have to make this call on Saturday?

Did Hick Cup Nick with snow a few weeks ago - which was a great run :-)

Rain is forecast,fingers crossed it melts some of it and it dont freeze

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Originally Posted by harrymoon

I take it they won't cancel the race but provide a shorter route?

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In 2008 they shortened it (rightly so IMO) du to snow but mainly ice. It went to the summit of Arran Bennlyn I think it was, the first summit on the ridge anyway. So it still ended up a good 6-7 miles and in that section you do most of the climbing. I think the winning time was 55 minutes or so, so still a good length run.

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Originally Posted by IainR

In 2008 they shortened it (rightly so IMO) du to snow but mainly ice. It went to the summit of Arran Bennlyn I think it was, the first summit on the ridge anyway. So it still ended up a good 6-7 miles and in that section you do most of the climbing. I think the winning time was 55 minutes or so, so still a good length run.

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Hope your right Iain,I want a burger at Rhug !

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Originally Posted by IainR

In 2008 they shortened it (rightly so IMO) du to snow but mainly ice. It went to the summit of Arran Bennlyn I think it was, the first summit on the ridge anyway. So it still ended up a good 6-7 miles and in that section you do most of the climbing. I think the winning time was 55 minutes or so, so still a good length run.

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The ice was pretty lethal even before they turned us back that year! However we didn't have to go to Rhug for a lamburger as the Aran Lamb Burger Van was right there at the finish line - anyone know if it will be there this year? Worth going for even if you don't run!

Erm if the weather is bad and the course is shortened will juniors run with the seniors orwill they still have their own race

Any weather updates from the locals?

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Originally Posted by Longdogs

Any weather updates from the locals?

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Are you running Helen????
Im waiting to here from the fleetmonster but we should be going

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Originally Posted by TurboTom

Are you running Helen????
Im waiting to here from the fleetmonster but we should be going

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Yep i'm going... despite attempts to be lured to the Midland Road Relays i have stayed strong.. it's the fells or nothing for me!

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Originally Posted by Longdogs

Yep i'm going... despite attempts to be lured to the Midland Road Relays i have stayed strong.. it's the fells or nothing for me!

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A grand cvfr day out....id imagine me (juniors though), fleeter, jonny moore, you and dave and all the dogs.....best bring my camera

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Originally Posted by TurboTom

A grand cvfr day out....id imagine me (juniors though), fleeter, jonny moore, you and dave and all the dogs.....best bring my camera

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No dogs or Dave tomorrow but i think enough of us to warrant some cake-baking later!